




































































































































































Pass 

Bnnlc -B S E<\% 




0 h 




Co OvJ EL. 

C0F3£RIGHT DEPOSIT. 































































His Mortgaged Wife 


By Bonnie Busch 








V 

His Mortgaged Wife 

BY 

Bonnie Busch 

>1 

AUTHOR OF 

Morality Court 
Out of the Middle West 



■» » 
>33 



Publishers 


DORRANCE Philadelphia 


COPYRIGHT 1923 
DORRANCE & CO INC 


TZs 
V 



« 4 

I < ^ 




©C1A711452 



MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 




Dedicated to Pansy 
The sweetest flower that has ever 
grown in Friendship’s Garden. 


% 













His Mortgaged Wife 












His Mortgaged Wife 

I 

Edward Clayton was lonely! Dining in soli¬ 
tary splendor at his flat in Cavendish Square, 
he considered himself unquestionably the lone¬ 
liest man in London. 

In the early twenties Clayton had married a 
pretty, unsophisticated girl. As time went on, 
she grew prettier—and more sophisticated. As 
his prosperity developed, so did her conceit. 
Every successful business venture of his made 
her thirst for further adventure. 

She had always been fond of her husband but 
her wealth of affection, she felt, was not prop¬ 
erly appraised by him; other men, more ap¬ 
preciative and discerning, valued it so highly 
that she began distributing it as promiscuously 
and lavishly as she did his money. Clayton had 
no desire for syndicated love and determined to 
cancel his matrimonial bond. 

By the time the legal formalities were com¬ 
pleted he had adjusted and capitalized his busi¬ 
ness to the point where he could leave it without 
loss. It then seemed as if London would be an 
excellent place in which to forget. Englishmen 
had some idea of leisure; Americans were all 
too busy to think of it, except those who thought 
of nothing else, and such drivel as they talked 

was intolerable to him. 

9 


10 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


On the trip over he had made the acquaint¬ 
ance of several interesting people, but none 
who contemplated a stay in London. He thus 
arrived at the Hotel Savoy unheralded and un¬ 
known. Here, after a few aimless days of 
watching the crowds and the unvarying routine 
of hotel life, he decided he could relax only in 
a place that had some semblance of home. 

Looking for quarters and getting settled had 
kept him diverted for several weeks but now 
that he was “all set,” he felt that unutterable 
loneliness one experiences upon landing in a 
strange town where there is not even an ac¬ 
quaintance to notify on arriving. 

The following morning, however, the post¬ 
script to a business letter from Arthur Gray, 
his attorney, raised new hopes: 

“My cousin, Grace Warren, now Mrs. 
Archibald Marsden, is living in London. 
Something or other—Mayfair. Why don’t 
you look her up? ‘Thee’ was her ideal in 
the old days, when we all walked together 
in meekness of spirit to the Friends’ 
School. ’ ’ 

Grace Warren stood out very clearly in 
memory’s roll-call of Clayton’s early school 
days. She had elicited his boyish sympathies 
for she had no mother and lived with stern 
“holier-than-thou” grandparents. It would be 
delightful to look up this little girl friend. He 
tried to picture the type of woman the prim 
Quaker child, with the wistful, violet eyes and 
reddish, corkscrew curls, had grown to be. He 
recalled various little scenes that it would be 
amusing to see if she too remembered. It 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


11 


would also be a pleasure to look back upon and 
discuss a past that held no bitter memories. 

Gray’s letter called forth his first review of 
boyhood, for it is only when one is near the end 
of the chapter that the pictorial pages of child¬ 
hood grow interesting. When one’s history is 
still in the making the leaves are never turned 
back much further than the events that bear 
upon the present. 

Clayton lost no time in finding Mrs. Archi¬ 
bald Marsden’s address and in sending a note 
to her by his man. He had hoped Wilson would 
return with an invitation to call but, much to 
his annoyance, Wilson had not waited for an 
answer. He was sorry he had written at all. 
Had it not been for his letter, he could have 
chanced finding her in that afternoon. As it 
was, he would have to wait for her reply. 

With all his resources for staging follies of 
any vintage, securing a leading lady and spec¬ 
tacular chorus for his London season, Clayton, 
in the midst of plenty, remained hungry for 
companionship. He was not the type of man 
to be amused with the society of the women 
whom he could meet without the formality of an 
introduction. He had never had the time or 
inclination to cultivate a taste for promiscuity, 
or to look outside the bounds of conventionality 
for amusement. 

Clayton’s note had arrived just at the time 
the maid was taking the mail up to her mistress ’ 
room. Mrs. Marsden, however, exhibited no 
interest in the morning’s offering, which looked 
like a mass of statements from tradespeople. 

It was not until her husband returned home 
for luncheon that she glanced over the batch of 


V 


12 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


letters, picking out the one of whose contents 
she could not be certain and handing the others 
to Archibald apologetically. He received the 
presentation indifferently, evincing no more 
curiosity than she as to the contents and tossed 
it back on the table. 

“Oh, Mars!” cried Grace delightedly, “one 
of my old school friends is here in London, 
without an acquaintance in town save me, and 
writes to ask—” 

“—you to make life pleasant for her?” cut 
in Marsden petulantly. “I’ll tell you now, 
Grace, I’ve had my fill of playing Baedeker to 
your ‘Yankee Doodles.’ The last ‘Spangled 
Star* that you had visiting us from the States 
cured me of any desire to be hospitable to any 
more of them.” 

“Edward Clayton is not seeking our hospital¬ 
ity. He merely asks permission to call, but if 
you do not wish it, I will not answer. ’ ’ 

“Who is this Edward Clayton?” 

‘ ‘ He is a client of Arthur ’s, and has, I under¬ 
stand, become one of the most successful busi¬ 
ness men in New York.” 

Marsden put out his hand for the note. 

“Well, I suppose you might as well ask the 
fellow to dinner. We are doing nothing tonight, 
and if he is on his own he won’t mind short 
notice.” 

His wife sat down obediently and enthusiasti¬ 
cally to get off the invitation. Before they had 
finished luncheon, the messenger returned with 
Clayton’s acceptance. 

“He’s coming,” Grace announced. “Whom 
would you ask to make a parti carree?” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


13 


“I shouldn’t bother to have anyone. Let him 
dine with us en famjMe tonight.’ r 

The afternoon passed quickly for Mrs. Mars- 
den—yesterdays with their golden memories 
tinting today. Her spirits rose gaily like the 
bright sparks of the grate-fire that her husband 
was stirring into a welcoming warmth for the 
arrival of their guest, and as she sat idly finger¬ 
ing a bud she had just pulled from the midst of 
a bowl of flowers, a feeling of retrospection 
mingled itself with her anticipation. 

Time had mellowed her beauty into the ripe 
perfection of womanhood. Her eyes held within 
them the softness of velvet veiled with a violet 
dewiness that suggested depth of feeling. Her 
mouth was perlexing; it seemed both sad and 
gay. Simply gowned in black, a scarf covering 
her shoulders, her figure appeared lithe and 
graceful, from the mass of delicately tinted 
copper hair piled high on her head to the tip 
of her buckled slipper, resting daintily on the 
cushion before her. 

With his first step into the Marsden drawing 
room Clayton did not recognize in the beautiful 
woman sitting there the little girl he used to 
know, but, as she came toward him with out¬ 
stretched hands and he looked into her un¬ 
changed eyes, his mental picture of Grace 
Warren gradually blended itself into the per¬ 
sonality of Grace Marsden. 

“ Edward Clayton!” she cried. “You 
haven’t changed a bit!” 

“What a delightful little playmate he must 
have been,” Marsden exclaimed, taking the 
hand of his guest who towered above him, with¬ 
out waiting to be introduced. 


14 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I don’t believe I have changed since my 
salad days,” laughed Clayton. 

Mrs. Marsden sat down on the sofa before the 
fire and motioned Clayton to a seat beside her. 

44 It is indeed a pleasure to see you again,” 
he said, seating himself. 4 ‘It carries me back 
to those happy school days. Tell me, what have 
you been doing all these years—but after all, it 
can’t be so very many years since you left the 
schoolroom. How long have you been mar¬ 
ried ? ’ ’ 

“Nearly four years.” 

“Four years! That is a long time,” Clay¬ 
ton exclaimed, mentally calculating the age at 
which she must have married, “but I imagine it 
has seemed very short to you.” 

4 4 The years have flown by and I seem always 
to have lived in England. When my grand¬ 
parents died, I asked my guardian to let me 
have my last year of school in Europe. I 
wanted to go to my mother’s old school. But 
tell me something about yourself. How did you 
escape matrimony?” 

“I did not escape, or, perhaps, I should say 
I have just escaped. Mine was a shipwreck on 
that sea, vessel a total loss, but all passengers 
saved.” 

“You Americans usually do make your get¬ 
away intact, don’t you?” asked Marsden. 
“You have the reputation of taking to the life¬ 
boats on the least provocation.” 

“Well, there is nothing in sticking to a sink¬ 
ing ship,” retorted Clayton. 

Grace, feeling that the subject could hardly 
be a pleasant one, broke in: “Are you over here 
on business or pleasure ? ’ ’ 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


15 


“Presumably pleasure, but I find it rather a 
business.” 

“Then you are free to enjoy yourself while 
you are here 1 9 ’ 

“Yes, time is no longer the essence of any¬ 
thing. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ I should say you were fitted for the quintes¬ 
sence of enjoyment,” said Marsden. 

“I am all ready to play but must find some 
playmates.” 

“You can count on us any time. Grace and I 
always enjoy a frolic.” 

The announcement of dinner broke in upon 
their conversation. 

In the subdued candlelight of the dining¬ 
room, Grace’s beauty struck Clayton even more 
forcibly. The meal was a merry one, with much 
banter between Grace and Clayton, Marsden an 
amused and interested listener, only interpos¬ 
ing a remark when the relative merits of Eng¬ 
land and America were under discussion. 

Shortly after they returned to the drawing¬ 
room, Clayton reluctantly bade them goodnight, 
but not before he had their promise to dine with 
him the following evening at the Savoy. 

Never had he met a more charming woman. 
Marsden was evidently a pleasure-loving chap, 
who would gladly accept any good times that 
were offered. Grace was undoubtedly devoted 
to her husband and not seeking any flirtations. 
Certainly everything seemed propitious for a 
delightful platonic friendship. 


II 


As she went over the events of the evening 
Grace could not analyze her feelings. Life with 
her grandparents had been so drab and color¬ 
less that when she came to school in England, 
she had never experienced one pang of home¬ 
sickness. Yet tonight she was suffering from 
it. She longed to see some of the old landmarks 
and yearned for the sight of her girlhood 
friends. In London, she had a large list of ac¬ 
quaintances, but no chum. The women in her 
set chose men for their pals. 

She heard her husband walking up and down 
in his room as he did when he was upset. She 
felt guilty to have been lying there dreaming, 
when she might have gone in to him and helped 
him get over his fit of depression. 

When she entered the room, however, he 
turned on her savagely. 

“Why can’t you leave me alone? I came in 
here to think and do not wish to be disturbed. ’ * 

“Don’t think things over all by yourself, 
Mars. Talk your difficulties over with me. 
They clarify sometimes when you thrash them 
out with someone else.” 

“Grace, you’re too narrow and puritanical 
for a man to be able to discuss anything with 
you. All you think of suggesting, when I tell 
you I am hard up, is some martyrdom, some 
new sacrifice we can make. I don’t want to be 
told how easy it is to go without. There is 
nothing helpful in that kind of cant.” 

16 


HIS MOKTGAGED WIFE 


17 


“But material things are not essential to 
happiness, Mars. With love, health and youth, 
surely there is nothing terrifying in our in¬ 
come being reduced. ” 

Marsden stopped abruptly in his walk and 
jerked open the door for her. 

“Please go to bed,” he said, “I told you I 
wanted to think.” 

Back in bed, Grace’s thoughts were a 
jumbled mass of perplexity until sleep smoothed 
out her worried brow. 

She arose early to have breakfast with her 
husband and was delighted to find him in good 
spirits. 

“I am sorry I was such a brute last night,” 
he said, kissing her. “Please forgive me.” 

“Why, the idea, Mars! There is nothing to 
forgive. I’m going to start economizing today 
so you won’t have to give me so large an allow¬ 
ance for the house.” 

4 ‘ That’s all tommyrot. Saving pennies won’t 
do me any good. Get your hat on, and I will 
blow you off to a new evening gown at Lucille’s. 
You are getting dowdy, my dear, and all these 
sombre hues you affect are getting on my 
nerves.” 

“Don’t be silly, Mars. I need no new 
frocks. ’ ’ 

“Get on your hat, like a good little girl, just 
to please me. I intend picking out something 
for you myself.” 

Grace knew it was useless to try to dissuade 
him, so entered into his plans with all the enthu¬ 
siasm she could muster for so ill-timed an ex¬ 
travagance. 

Marsden gave the saleswoman at the shop to 


18 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


understand he wanted something very smart. 
Manikin after manikin pivoted around on the 
stage and walked down to them to permit a 
closer inspection of the gowns. Finally Mars- 
den selected a turquoise blue satin and a cloth 
of silver for Grace to try on. They both suited 
her admirably, but she could not display any 
interest, for they were so frightfully expensive. 
Marsden, unable to choose between them 
ordered both put on his account and sent home. 

“Oh, you extravagant boy!” Grace cried as 
soon as they were out on the street. “It is 
darling of you to want me to have those dresses, 
but surely you can’t afford them now.” 

“Why spoil everything with a lecture on con¬ 
servation? I am sick to death of the subject.” 

“I’m sorry. I will try not to be a kill-joy 
again. ’ ’ 

Neither of them broke the silence on the re¬ 
turn home from their shopping expedition. 

Clayton found his day largely occupied with 
pleasant anticipations of the evening and the 
important business of getting a box for the 
theatre and a desirable table for dinner. Lon¬ 
don now wore an entirely different aspect for 
him. There was a touch of color in its hereto¬ 
fore drab attire. 

At a quarter to seven he was waiting at the 
Savoy for his guests. He found the lobby an 
interesting place. The constant stream of 
smartly gowned women followed by their bored- 
looking escorts was enough to keep his mind 
well occupied and interested. 

Punctually at seven the Marsdens appeared. 
Clayton was ebloue by Grace’s appearance in 
the cloth-of-silver gown. It was extremely 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


19 


decollete and set off her figure to the very ut¬ 
most. She was absolutely radiant. How could 
Marsden walk with that air of indifference by 
the side of so glorious a creature. He greeted 
them enthusiastically and piloted them to their 
seats, noticing with the greatest satisfaction 
the glances of admiration Grace drew from the 
tables near by, as they sat down. 

Marsden was in the gayest of humors. 

4 4 It was awfully good of you to ask us here 
tonight,” he said. 44 Grace and I had rather 
lost the habit of dining out. This seems like 
old times, doesn’t it, Grace?” 

44 Yes, I love this place,” she answered 
simply. 

4 4 Then let us arrange to come here regu¬ 
larly,” suggested Clayton. 44 1 am enchanted 
with the place myself now. ’ ’ 

44 Oh, no,” said Grace, 44 coming to the same 
restaurant every night requires too many dif¬ 
ferent frocks.” 

44 1 was just thinking of exacting your prom¬ 
ise not to wear any other gown than the one you 
have on,” replied Clayton. 44 I’ve never seen 
anything so alluring. You have perfect taste.” 

44 Thank you,” smiled Grace, 44 but I cannot 
take the credit—Mars chose this frock for me.” 

44 I told Grace she was scintillating this eve¬ 
ning,” said Marsden. 44 I have a hard time 
keeping her from draping herself in crepe. 
Black should be worn only by women who are 
in mourning for their youth, I think.” 

4 4 By the way, Marsden, what business are 
you engaged in? Or does your attention to so 
charming a wife occupy all your time?” 

44 Oh, I’m soldiering, you know,” replied 


20 


HIS MOKTGAGED WIFE 


Marsden, Iris face losing the brightness of the 
moment before, “and I wish I were jolly well 
out of the service. You don’t happen to want 
a permanent London representative, do you?” 

Clayton did not reply for a moment. Per¬ 
haps he could think of something. It certainly 
would be ideal if he could in some way insure 
the daily companionship of Grace and her hus¬ 
band. He must look Marsden up and see if he 
had any ability he could use. 

‘ ‘ Let me think, ’ ’ he said. ‘ ‘ Perhaps I may be 
able to suggest something later on.” 

Grace was pleased with his interest. Any 
prospect of a change for her husband was en¬ 
couraging. She knew the service held little 
hope of promotion. Her inheritance was just 
about gone and Mars’ income could in no way 
keep pace with his expensive regiment and 
extravagant tastes. She felt sure no change 
could be for the worse and this charming coun¬ 
tryman of hers probably held keys that would 
unlock other doors for him. 

“I do hope you can think of something,” she 
began. “I know he has loads of ability—if he 
only had a chance. ’ ’ 

Clayton looked up quickly at the last few 
words; they had a familiar sound. All his busi¬ 
ness life he had known these men of ability who 
never had a chance. Every street was full of 
them, except Bradstreet. He had better keep 
Marsden on a social plane. 

“Let me think it over,” he repeated, smiling¬ 
ly. “ Anything that tends to put our pleasant 
acquaintance on a more permanent basis is 
most interesting.” 

Grace delicately steered the conversation into 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


21 


less personal channels and they moved out into 
the foyer for coffee. 

When they reached the theatre the play was 
on. Grace gave all her attention to the per¬ 
formance but Marsden was restless. The mo¬ 
ment the first act was over, he went out. 

“Was your husband serious in suggesting a 
business connection with me!” Clayton asked. 

“I don’t know but I do want him to get out 
of that treadmill. He is ambitious and there is 
no chance there for advancement.” 

“I really did not come over here to think 
about business but, of course, a certain amount 
of it is inescapable. I have never considered a 
London connection and, at the moment, it does 
not seem feasible. Still I should greatly like 
to be of some service to you. Perhaps there 
may be some way in which I can help him. Can 
you think of any?” 

“No, I can’t. He never tells me much about 
his affairs. I know he is horribly dissatisfied 
—but you came over to get a rest, not to hunt 
up business opportunities for your new-found 
friends. Let us discuss something less boring 
for you.” 

“My dear Grace, nothing could be boring to 
me that is of interest to you. Your devotion 
and loyalty to your husband, shown by your 
whole manner, appeals to me more than to most 
men, perhaps because I have known the lack 
of it. That is why I should like to have you for 
a friend, a real friend.” 

“What a lovely speech! Very few men com¬ 
pliment women on their devotion to their hus¬ 
bands. What you said, or rather didn’t say, 
about yourself interests me very much. I sup- 


22 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


pose it is a woman’s curiosity but, since it is, I 
must tell you I’ve been wondering how you 
came to be divorced. I know it is terribly per¬ 
sonal and impertinent—don’t bother to tell me 
about it—I’m ashamed of having brought up 
the subject.” 

“I am flattered by your interest. I suppose 
it was my fault to a large degree. I was too 
busy to be very attentive. The lady is married 
again, I hear. I can’t imagine myself marry¬ 
ing again but, if I ever do commit that folly, I 
will go to the other extreme and devote my life 
to the happiness of my wife.” 

‘‘All of which indicates that, although you 
will not admit it to yourself you are looking for¬ 
ward to marrying again. Just now you would 
be most susceptible. I must watch over you 
while you are here to see that you make no more 
mistakes. Come and tell me about each new 
passion as it buds, and I will help you select 
the one that will bloom into a happy marriage. ’ ’ 

“Splendid,” agreed Clayton. “That is a 
bargain. Up to the moment I am absolutely 
i fancy free’ but I will come to you with my first 
blossom of romance.” 

The curtain rose and Marsden dropped into 
the chair back of them. In one glance Grace 
saw that her husband had been drinking. She 
had been fearful of this outcome when he drank 
so freely at dinner. 

All through the next act she was restless, 
wondering how she could keep Marsden from 
leaving them again, but before the curtain had 
gone down he had disappeared. Grace made no 
comments upon her husband’s actions. He did 
not return during the third act and they waited 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


23 


in the box until the theatre was nearly empty 
before she asked Clayton to take her home. 

“He has run into some pal and forgotten all 
about us,” she explained, struggling to appear 
unconcerned. 

“I know just how that is,” Clayton assured 
her, “and I shall be delighted to take you 
home.” 

Grace was grateful that Clayton seemed to 
think nothing of her husband’s cavalier treat¬ 
ment of her and his host; she was hurt and 
humiliated. They spoke little during the drive 
home in the taxi, but there emanated from him 
something protective and big, that Grace in¬ 
stinctively sensed, which soothed the jangle 
and discord of the evening’s finale. 


Ill 


Next morning Clayton sat in his room re¬ 
viewing the past night. It had been delightful 
once again to feel in touch with the world about 
him. Grace was splendid; her promise to watch 
over him, amusing. Single life looked pleasing 
at the moment but if he ever did become dis¬ 
satisfied with its blessedness he hoped he would 
find someone like her. 

Marsden, too, was not half bad. He was as¬ 
suredly not jealous. Of course, Grace’s devo¬ 
tion precluded any such possibility to any sane 
man but, then, the husbands of very beautiful 
women were not often sane. He wondered if 
it was worth while to pursue the question of 
business relations with Marsden any further. 
There was no use in holding out hopes if they 
were not to be realized. That would be sure to 
bring trouble. Evidently the man was not 
particularly reliable, as his disappearance the 
night before proved. He would forget that sug¬ 
gestion, at least, for the present. 

At that moment Marsden was announced and 
Clayton rose to greet his early morning visitor. 

“I dropped in, old man, to offer an explana¬ 
tion and an apology for my disappearance last 
night. ’ ’ 

“ Nonsense, Marsden, none is necessary as 
far as I am concerned.” 

“I noticed a friend in the stalls,” Marsden 
continued, unmindful of the interruption, “and 

went down to have a word with him before he 

24 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


25 


could get away. He took me to the bar and I 
became so interested in a proposition he made 
that I forgot all about the play’s closing. When 
I returned the theatre was empty and you were 
gone. I am greatly obliged to you for taking 
Grace home.” 

“It was a pleasure, I assure you.” 

“It was inexcusable of me to vanish like that 
but, perhaps, if I tell you what the man’s pro¬ 
posal was, you will understand. I’ve wanted 
a car for a long time. I know motors fairly 
well and am a good driver so these cheap go- 
carts don’t interest me much. This chap is 
stone-broke and has a Rolls Royce with a tour¬ 
ing body almost as good as new. He must have 
money, so offered it to me for six hundred and 
fifty pounds. You know that is a bargain. I 
tried to get him to take my note, but he must 
have cash as he has to leave London. With a 
little time I can sell it and make a good profit. 
In my hands it won’t deteriorate. How would 
you like to go in on it? You put up the money, 
I buy the car and give you a mortgage on it 
for six hundred and fifty pounds and we divide 
the profit when I sell it. In the meantime, we 
have a good car to use—but perhaps you have 
bought one already.” 

“No,” said Clayton, “I have not and had 
not contemplated doing so. When moving 
about, I find it cheaper to hire. This proposi¬ 
tion is good, however, and I will gladly join 
you in it. Shall I make out the check to you 
or your friend?” 

“Better make it to me; if he knew I had inter¬ 
ested an American in it, he might jump the 
price.” 


26 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“Sure enough/’ laughed Clayton, “Ameri¬ 
cans all look like easy money wherever they 
go and most of them are.” 

He pulled out his check book and wrote Mars- 
den the check for the amount. 

“Thanks, awfully, Clayton. I’ll hurry 
around to him before he changes his mind, take 
the car to a garage I know and tune it up a 
bit—will bring it around to show it to you to¬ 
morrow afternoon. This is an off-week for me. 
After I report in the morning I can count on 
being excused for the day.” 

“I envy you the necessity of having to re¬ 
port. Unless there is some call on one’s time 
the days drag horribly, I think. ’ ’ 

“Why don’t you drop in on Grace this after¬ 
noon! I shall be in overalls and full of grease. 
If you are there for tea, tell her not to expect 
me. I must be off now. I ’ll have the mortgage 
ready in a day or two,” he called out as he 
closed the hall door. 

Clayton was delighted at the suggestion of 
calling on Grace. With something in view to 
occupy his afternoon he turned immediately 
to his morning mail, so as to have it disposed of 
for the day. 

When he presented himself at Marsden’s 
house he was disappointed in not being able 
to have the tete-a-tete he had anticipated. He 
thought the well-built interloper in riding togs, 
standing with back to the door, was a young 
man, until the figure turned around and he was 
presented to a young lady. He had never had 
such a hearty handshake or brusque how-do- 
you-do from the gentler sex. 

Clayton took his seat beside Grace, facing 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


27 


Dariel Thurston, who seemed to shun any sup¬ 
port the arms or back of the chair might lend 
her. 

Grace poured him a cup of tea and Miss 
Thurston offered him the bread and butter. He 
was not tempted by that or the cake she recom¬ 
mended as delicious but he could not refuse the 
tea at Grace’s hands. He had many things he 
wanted to discuss with her but this young girl 
seemed to keep the talk out in the open, strenu¬ 
ously kicking the ball of conversation from 
hockey field to polo grounds. Finally Clayton 
managed to deliver Marsden’s message. 

“What is putting him in overalls and cover¬ 
ing him with grease?” Grace demanded. 

“Why, don’t you know he has just bought 
a Rolls Royce ? He expected to spend his after¬ 
noon going over the motor.” 

“Bought a motor?” gasped Grace. 

“Ripping!” exclaimed Dariel, “you can do 
with one.” 

“Oh, I am mad about motoring,” Grace 
cried, “but—but—it is a surprise,” she added 
falteringly. 

“I say, don’t let a bit of good news bowl 
you out. I told Manning to come here to fetch 
me at half-past five, so he must be at the door.” 

Clayton put Miss Thurston in the waiting 
limousine with pleasure and hurried back to 
Grace. 

“Are you really in earnest, Edward, that 
Mars has purchased an automobile?” she asked 
anxiously, the moment he entered the room. 

“Well, I think so, Grace. He told me he had 
a great bargain offered him and I understood 


28 HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 

when he left me he was on his way to take it 
up. ’ * 

“Where did you see him?” 

“Oh, he dropped by this morning to apolo¬ 
gize for being sidetracked last night. Now con¬ 
tain yourself until you see your new toy. I 
have never met such a curious woman.” 

“There is some joke about all this, Edward. 
I know Mars was not in the market for motor 
cars when he left this morning.” 

Clayton was unable to steer Grace’s thoughts 
away from the automobile. He realized the 
news of its purchase had been very disconcert¬ 
ing to her and regretted having been the news 
bearer. 

Walking home, Clayton tried to think why 
Grace was so upset by the idea of her husband’s 
having purchased a car. It must be that she 
thought Marsden could ill afford accessories 
of that kind. Could they be in any financial 
difficulty? Her gowns did not indicate it, yet 
evidently she did not favor extravagances. It 
was an interesting problem. Her husband 
would probably offer the solution soon. 

At three o’clock the next day, Marsden and 
Grace came for him in the car. Grace had ap¬ 
parently been satisfied by Marsden’s explana¬ 
tion, whatever it was. She was sitting in the 
tonneau, beaming with delight. 

Clayton looked the car over critically. It was 
a Rolls sure enough, but it was travel worn. 
A fair estimate of its age, he thought, was three 
years and the seller more to be congratulated 
than the buyer at six hundred and fifty pounds. 
He might probably get out whole on a sale but 
cash profits were out of the question. He would 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


29 


get his dividends in being an associate member. 

“What do you think of it?” asked Marsden. 

“I can tell better after a ride.” 

“Well, let’s be off then. Get in behind with 
Grace and I will drive. ’ ’ 

He became pleased with his investment in 
Grace’s delight in motoring. He would be in 
no hurry for the car to be sold. Speeding 
through the country by her side was most en¬ 
joyable. 

They stopped at a little Riverside inn for 
tea. The weather had become warm enough 
to bring people out on the water, so Grace sug¬ 
gested having tea on the lawn which sloped 
down to the river’s edge. 

“This is a fascinating sight!” Clayton ex¬ 
claimed as he got his first view of the Thames 
with the holiday crowd upon it. Rowboats, 
punts and canoes with their cargoes of brightly 
dressed women and athletic-looking men passed 
by in a gay pageant. Swans were majestically 
patrolling the water below the lawn, waiting for 
the crumbs that invariably came their way at 
teatime. 

‘ 4 This is nothing to what it will be later on, ’ ’ 
Grace promised. “The houseboats will be 
lined along the bank, each one made to look as 
beautiful as possible in its fresh paint with its 
flower boxes a mass of bloom.” 

“It can’t be more attractive than it is to¬ 
day,” said Clayton, glancing from the water 
to Grace. 

4 4 Hello, there! ’ ’ called Marsden to Captain 
Thurston, who was just about to seat himself 
at the adjoining table. 


30 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“What luck!” Thurston exclaimed, coming 
over to them. 

Clayton took a great liking to the captain 
the moment he met him. 

“How do you happen to he strolling in here 
all by yourself today?” asked Grace. 

‘ 4 Dariel has a troop of girls over at the house 
this afternoon and I felt very much de trop and 
in need of a long walk.’ ’ 

“You’re on foot, are you?” asked Marsden. 
“We can give you a lift home.” 

“I have a much better suggestion,” offered 
Clayton. “Let us carry Captain Thurston in 
to town to dinner with us.” 

“A much better suggestion,” agreed Mars¬ 
den. “You’ll come in with us, won’t you 
Thurston?” 

“I shall be pleased to go along if you are 
not going to change.” 

“We shan’t be changing,” Marsden assured 
him, “and we can have a look in at one of the 
music halls after.” 

“Does that appeal to you, Edward?” asked 
Grace. 

“Anything does—I’m enjoying every minute 
of my time here that I don’t spend by myself. ’ ’ 

“Aren’t you on good terms with yourself?” 
Thurston inquired. 

“Not very,’’ Clayton replied. ‘‘There is con¬ 
siderable contempt caused by too much famil¬ 
iarity. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ That’s very funny, ’ ’ laughed Thurston. ‘ ‘ I 
must tell you what my kid sister told me of you 
yesterday. ’ ’ 

“That the contempt was not mine exclu¬ 
sively?” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


31 


4 4 Not at all. She said she admired you tre¬ 
mendously because you were not like other men 
who seemed so thoroughly satisfied with them¬ 
selves. ” 

“I shall have to see more of that sister of 
yours.’ ’ 

“Then you will have to get a mount; she is 
in the saddle from morning until night.” 

“Hadn’t we better start for town now?” 
asked Marsden. 

Grace was quick to agree for she had no¬ 
ticed her husband’s restlessness for some time. 

When Marsden brought the car around to 
the entrance, he called to Thurston to jump in 
front with him. Clayton was grateful that his 
invitation to the captain had not robbed him 
of the pleasure of talking to Grace on their 
way back to town. 


IV 


“I have good news for yon, Grace,” Mars- 
den said some weeks later, when the maid had 
left them alone in the dining room with their 
coffee. 

“Really, Mars, I’ll be delighted to hear it. 
Do tell me quickly. You have not been given 
a yacht to sell and use in the interim, have 
you?” 

“Don’t try to make facetious remarks, but 
listen, if you wish to hear what I have to say. 
I was telling Clayton today about the house 
we have always had at Henley in the summer 
and he hoped we would be going on the Thames 
soon, so he could visit us. He does not enjoy 
London at this season. I told him quite frankly 
we were not taking it on this year, as we could 
not afford it. Then he said, if we would just 
run the place and have him down, he would 
be only too glad to take care of the lease.” 

“But, Mars—” 

“Don’t 4 but’ until I have finished. He wants 
to go fifty-fifty with us, as he expressed it.” 

“But, Mars, we can’t enter into an agree¬ 
ment of that kind. It would be a great mis¬ 
take. ’ ’ 

“It will be a great help to me, so no doubt 
you will oppose it.” 

“I do not wish to oppose things that are 
helpful to you, but how can we put ourselves 
under such obligations?” 

“What rot you talk! It is he who is the 

32 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


33 


beneficiary. For no more expense than he 
would have to pay at a hotel among strangers, 
he can be in a charming home with friends. 
He is awfully bored with himself unless he is 
with us. As it is, he is around here every day 
and with us most of the time.” 

“I know, Mars, but it is not like having a 
man about the house all the time. I shall feel 
most uncomfortable.” 

4 4 You have never seemed averse to his so¬ 
ciety. I tell you, Grace, I am fed up with your 
preferring to play martyr on all occasions 
rather than to take what the gods provide and 
get a little joy out of life. ” 

“I don’t know what the gods are trying to 
provide for me, but I do know that I much pre¬ 
fer to do with what my husband can provide 
than to accept the assistance of others. As 
we can’t afford Henley this summer, Mars dear, 
let us do without it. We can spend a day on 
the Thames occasionally and really have a very 
nice summer staying in town .’ 1 

“Take an outing on bank holidays with the 
cheap trippers? I’ll be damned if I do.” 

“I think you must be a little tired and upset 
this evening, Mars. I know I am and, if you 
will excuse me, I think I will go upstairs.” 

When Grace reached her room she did not 
turn on the lights, but sat down by the open 
window to think. It was a very heavy, muggy 
night and her thoughts were as depressing as 
the atmosphere. 

She had told her husband she would be un¬ 
comfortable with Clayton in the house. Was 
that the word she should have used? Was it 
not, after all, fear, fear lest she should grow 


34 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


too fond of him? He had been coming every 
day to tea and they had had delightful little 
talks alone—impersonal, to be sure, but, to be 
honest with herself, her days were beginning 
to revolve around these visits. Was it possible 
that she, who had never condoned even mild 
flirtations for married women, was falling in 
love? 

Aside from the fear of herself, perhaps 
there was nothing to object to in Clayton and 
her husband’s arranging things so that they 
could all have a summer on the river. The 
trouble lay with herself; she must get these 
silly notions out of her head. She could not 
go to Marsden and tell him that she was afraid 
of her own feelings. He would think her a 
bigger fool than ever. But what should she 
do? Oh, if he would only be a little more with 
her. Somehow or other he seemed to be drift¬ 
ing away, out of sympathy and touch. That 
was why Clayton’s visits meant so much to her. 
Why, when she came to think of it, Marsden had 
scarcely been at home the last month. They 
had been together only when Clayton was with 
them on motor trips or dinner parties. 

Could it be that Marsden didn’t like Clay¬ 
ton around so much? Yet, how absurd that 
was, when they had just had an argument over 
his wanting Clayton to share a house with them 
this summer. The whole thing was the weaving 
of her own imagination. Things would perhaps 
be different if they were on the river. She 
could be out in the open and would not have 
so much time for disconcerting self-analysis. 

The only thing for her to do was to tell her 
husband to make whatever plans he thought 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


35 


would be best. The first duty of a good wife 
was to follow out her husband’s wishes. If one 
did that, things could not go wrong. 

With this point settled, she felt more at ease 
and her thoughts gradually flitted to the house 
at Henley. She wondered if Clayton would 
really like it there and enjoy his tea on the 
lawn as much as he did in the drawing room 
here. 

Then she thought of Marsden downstairs, 
hurt and disappointed because she had not been 
delighted with his good news. He knew how she 
loved the river and he had come home full of 
enthusiasm to tell her of the plans. She hur¬ 
ried down, intent upon making it all up to him. 

“Mars dear,” she began, sitting on the arm 
of his chair, “I’ve been thinking over what you 
told me and I see no reason why we can’t all 
have a happy summer at Henley after all. ’ ’ 

“I knew very well, Grace, that the arrange¬ 
ment appealed to you but you could not forego 
the pleasure of making me feel it would be a 
sacrifice. ’ ’ 

Grace was too hurt to make any further ap¬ 
peal. She walked back to her room, feeling ut¬ 
terly crushed and misunderstood. 


V 


“Pack up my things, Wilson, I am going 
down on the Thames for a month or so. You 
will stay on here and keep the apartment open 
so that I can run in when I wish to. ” 

“Very good, sir, I will start at once getting 
your boxes packed. ’ ’ 

This thing of having a valet to do all the dis¬ 
agreeable part of changing base was as pleas¬ 
ant as it was new to Clayton. He picked up the 
paper to read, but soon put it down, finding 
more pleasure in thinking over his own affairs. 

The disagreeable memories of the past had 
ceased to present themselves in his reveries 
now; the agreeable present had crowded them 
out. He was finding English life and people 
delightful. His week-end with the Thurstons 
was quite the most enjoyable visit he had ever 
made. 

Dariel Thurston was a revelation to him. 
She was a splendid dynamo of energy and vi¬ 
tality. She seemed to have no trace of purely 
feminine traits and was without a particle of 
coquetry, yet he could not help liking her. He 
understood now what Englishmen meant when 
they spoke of girls as being good pals. She 
was certainly of that type. Thurston, too, was 
a fine chap, cordial and unassuming. 

Grace—well—she was an American. Per¬ 
haps that was why she seemed to stand out 
from all the others. None of the women he had 

seen were half so beautiful or had a fraction 

36 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


37 


of her wonderful sweetness of character. Grace 
was certainly his ideal, but then Grace was 
married. He must not forget that for one 
moment or all his charming environment would 
vanish. She was not of that variety of sweet¬ 
ness that would forgive a man’s forgetting. 

Marsden, he could not make out. He was 
agreeable to talk to, always ready to go along 
to any point short of settling the bill; Clayton, 
however, did not wish him to do that. Marsden 
was doing his part in supplying the association; 
there had been nothing in London for him until 
Marsden had put him up at his Club and opened 
his house to him. But it was not coming 
cheaply. Counting the lease, the car and the 
two loans he had made Marsden, the price was 
mounting. 

When a man who can’t live within his income 
borrows, his creditors must look for re-payment 
in something besides cash. Well, he was hav¬ 
ing the time of his life and there was no special 
reason for counting the cost. Nevertheless, the 
man who has made his own money can never 
become insensible to the exact price of any 
pleasure. 

These thoughts led him to remember that he 
must go to his bank before leaving town and 
give his address. 

“Wilson,” he called, “if Mr. Marsden should 
come while I am out, tell him I have gone to 
Smith & Harris. ’ ’ 

When Clayton returned from Pall Mall, Wil¬ 
son had everything in readiness for his depar¬ 
ture, but Marsden wa.s late, so he sat down to 
answer the batch of mail he had found at the 
bank. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


38 


At Henley, Grace was working hard with the 
maids to get the cottage in order by the time 
the men arrived. Captain Thurston called for 
her and took her home to his mother’s for 
luncheon, but brought her back immediately 
after, as he had promised. 

She arranged her husband’s room herself. 
He was most fastidious about his things and 
regarded every luxury that he indulged in as a 
necessity. 

“Poor boy!” she thought, as she put away 
pile after pile of his linen. “Too bad that I 
had so little money. He should have married 
a rich woman.” 

Her little “nest-egg,” as her grandfather 
had called it, was now entirely gone. Unless 
Marsden got out of the service into something 
more remunerative, they would have to alter 
their mode of living. Clayton had come to 
England just at the time her money was run¬ 
ning out, but he had kept them on the go, din¬ 
ing out and seeing plays—just the things that 
Mars loved. She wondered if the daily com¬ 
panionship with this man of so much wealth 
had not added to her husband’s discontent at 
this particular juncture of their lives. 

She walked into one o.f the spare rooms 
which she was allotting to Clayton, to give it the 
last finishing touches. Everything looked sweet 
and dainty. After she had put a vase of freshly 
picked flowers on the chiffonier, and a few 
books she thought Clayton might like to read 
on the table, she felt satisfied with its appear¬ 
ance. It was a pleasure to do things for him; 
he was so appreciative of every little effort. 
After all, it would be very nice having two 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


39 


men to take about with her. Mars was sure to 
be his old happy self when he got on the river 
again. 

Grace went into her own room to dress before 
going downstairs. As the men were motoring 
out, she could not tell at what hour they would 
arrive. It was past teatime now, but she de¬ 
cided to wait a little longer for them. 

The drawing room was cool and inviting 
in its old-fashioned pink chintz. The slipovers, 
all fresh that morning, reminded Grace of a 
lot of prim little girls in starched frocks. She 
threw a few pillows here and there to relieve 
the stillness and rearranged the flowers the 
maid had placed with exact precision in the 
vases. 

Finally she rang and asked to have the tea 
brought in. Grace had had it many times by 
herself, but today it seemed a dreary ordeal. 
She was overtired and easily succumbed to a 
fit of depression. 

In an effort to change her mood, she opened 
the piano and struck a few crashing major 
chords, but gradually her improvising drifted 
into a plaintive minor melody. She drew out 
strains which she had never heard before and 
which stirred up new emotions and filled her 
with a sense of longing. 

Marsden had dropped Clayton at the house 
before going to the garage, but Grace, unhear¬ 
ing, was not aware of their arrival until she 
became conscious of a presence and, looking 
up, saw Clayton standing in the doorway. 

“Please don’t stop,” he cried, “finish the 
piece.” 

“I was not playing anything in particular,” 


40 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


said Grace, rising, “only giving vent to a few 
of my thoughts, discordant ones, I fear.” 

“There was nothing inharmonious in the de¬ 
lightful music I have been listening to—but, tell 
me, how in the world did you get everything 
shipshape in so short a time?” 

“It wasn’t much of a task. I was all through 
by tea, waiting for you, and was disappointed 
you and Mars were not here.” 

“You were not more disappointed than I, 
Grace. ’ ’ 

“Where did you stop for tea?” 

“Nowhere. It is only the association of the 
tea table I have grown to miss, not the beverage. 
Teatime has meant, so far, the privilege of 
being with you. You will be responsible for 
my forming a habit that will be most difficult 
to break.” 

“What do you think of the place, Clayton?” 
demanded Mars, coming into the room. 

‘ 4 Great!’ * 

“Wait until you see the grounds in the day- 
time. I don’t believe you have ever seen a more 
beautiful little garden,” Grace added. 

“I know it must be lovely.” 

“Don’t let’s talk about the garden now— 
does Clayton know where his room is, Grace? 
That’s the most important thing, we have only 
a half hour before dinner.” 

“No, but you may take him up if you will, 
Mars.” 

Grace waited a few moments after the men 
had gone up, before she followed and went into 
her husband’s dressing room. 

“Mars,” she said, “I feel frightfully upset 


HIS MORTGAGED WIPE 


41 


tonight, everything seems so unnatural, I can 
hardly be myself. ’ ’ 

“If you have anything to upset you, be spe¬ 
cific, name it, don’t call it ‘ everything’.” 

“Well, I mean everything.” 

‘ ‘ In that case it is too large an order for me 
to attempt to adjust. I went to the estate of¬ 
fice today to settle for this lease. I could bet¬ 
ter undertake that half of our bargain that has 
a fixed sum, so Clayton and I have arranged 
that you are to let him know what the running 
expenses amount to.” 

“I should have preferred having it just the 
other way. Have I got to take up the question 
of bills with him?” 

“No, put them in an envelope and send them 
by messenger if the topic offends you; however, 
I have never seen any hesitancy on your part 
in discussing them with me.” 

“Mars, do you see no distinction? Don’t 
you realize how this will make me feel? Is no 
consideration due me?” 

“I never heard of a woman collecting con¬ 
sideration by nagging. I hope you will con¬ 
sider Clayton sufficiently to go and get dressed 
now and see that our first evening in the house 
is given a semblance of peacefulness, at least. ’ ’ 

Grace hesitated at the door, but feeling the 
utter hopelessness of further conversation made 
no answer, and went to her room to dress. 

When Clayton joined his host and hostess 
in the dining room a little later and they were 
seated at their first meal, he was not aware of 
the struggle Grace was undergoing. She went 
through the dinner bravely, but after it was 
over and the men had walked out on the ter- 


42 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


race for a smoke, she rushed to her room to 
give vent to the tears that had all but shown 
themselves under Clayton’s sympathetic scru¬ 
tiny in the hall. As soon as she was in her 
room, however, she realized that she could not 
indulge in the luxury of solitude and tears with 
a guest in the house. She must make an effort 
to make this first evening pleasant. How hor¬ 
rible it would be for Clayton if he should feel 
that she resented his presence. He was not 
in any way to blame for the situation. 

She hurriedly went down to the drawing 
room and arranged the card table for the 
three-handed game of bridge her husband en¬ 
joyed so much. 


VI 


The arrangement whereby Clayton defrayed 
the running expenses of the menage robbed 
Grace of the feeling of hostess. Should she in¬ 
vite people to dinner and entertain a lot for 
Edward, or would that expenditure seem in¬ 
delicate under the circumstances? Every little 
household duty became a moral issue, and she 
was wretchedly unhappy, as only a proud and 
sensitive woman can be. 

The plan of Edward’s paying the rent had 
been very distasteful to her, but this later ad¬ 
justment was almost insupportable. It seemed 
as if Mars was becoming insensible to every¬ 
thing. He simply could not be made to see 
how she felt. Every attempt she had made to 
discuss things with him ended in a row, and 
the situation remained unaltered. She felt his 
inaccessibility increase daily. Except on the 
occasions when she tried to thresh things out 
with him, he was punctilliously polite—a most 
successful barrier to intimate discussions. 

The little talks with Edward that she used 
to enjoy so much, were constrained now and 
embarrassing. She felt placed in a false posi¬ 
tion, yet did not know on whom to put the 
blame. 

Mars seemed to feel no hesitancy in playing 
host. He invited people to the house on every 
occasion, and would suggest her asking people 
to dine before them so that she was left no 

alternative. Of course, it was thoughtlessness 

43 


44 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


on his part, and she marveled at his power to 
forget how things were. The consciousness 
of the monetary arrangement was with her at 
all times. 

For several days Grace had refrained from 
discussing anything with Mars, but on going 
to her desk to make out her accounts, she found 
lying on top of her papers a huge bill for wine 
and whiskey that Mars had ordered put in the 
cellar. She picked it up and went to him with 
it. 

4 ‘What do you wish me to do with this bill? ? ’ 
she asked. “You checked the things off when 
they came.” 

‘ ‘ In that case, ’ ’ he replied indifferently, ‘ 1 the 
statement is correct. ’ ’ 

_ ‘ ‘ Here it is then, ’ ’ Grace said, handing it to 
him. 

“Are you trying to save Clayton from pay¬ 
ing for his liquor! I envy him your great con¬ 
sideration. ’ 9 

“Have you no consideration for me! Are 
you trying to force me to present this bill to 
him too. He drinks very little. Surely you 
should pay for this. ? ’ 

“What with!’’ demanded Marsden. 

“If you have not the money for such things, 
don’t order them, Mars.” 

“I will order what I damn please. If you 
had been as careful of my money as you "are 
of Clayton’s, it might not have been necessary 
to have a paying guest. However, I know you 
are enjoying his visit in spite of your trying 
to make it appear to me tragically distasteful.” 

“His visiting us would not be distasteful, 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


45 


but being called upon to present him with the 
bills of our household is loathsome.’’ 

‘‘Tell Clayton how I abuse you. He is the 
one to go to for sympathy. Why do you appeal 
to me when you think I am such a hardened 
wretch ? ’ ’ 

“Mars, I don’t think you are a hardened 
wretch. I simply feel we are drifting apart, 
and to such a point that we seem unable to dis¬ 
cuss anything or understand each other any 
more . 9 9 

“There are times, Grace, when perhaps it 
might be just as well not to go too thoroughly 
into everything and try to understand every¬ 
one so perfectly. I prefer drifting, to con¬ 
stantly fighting to stem the tide.” 

“But I don’t understand you, Mars. What 
are you talking about?” 

“My dear, I have just been advising you 
not to try,” he said, getting up and leaving the 
room. 

Grace looked down at her bills. What was 
she to do? Mars evidently intended her to 
present the liquor bill to Clayton. Someone 
would have to pay it. The tradespeople were 
very insistent upon their accounts being settled 
at once. She did not care for the added humili¬ 
ation of their sending representatives to col¬ 
lect. For the first time since she had been 
married she began to regret not having kept 
her own money, so that she could be independ¬ 
ent. 

Hearing Edward enter the drawing room, 
she tried to gather up her bills to put them out 
of sight, but in her haste she dropped them. 
He rushed forward and picked them up for her. 


46 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I guess these are all for me,” he said, stick¬ 
ing them in his pocket as he saw her confusion 
and embarrassment. 

“I think one of them is debatable,’’ Grace 
said. 

“Well, I am not going to debate any bills 
with you, ’ ’ Clayton replied laughingly. ‘ ‘ Come 
on out on the lawn and forget all about your 
bookkeeping.’’ 

Grace was grateful for being spared the nec¬ 
essity of presenting him with the wine bill, 
but she felt culpable. What must he think of 
Mars and herself? 

She could think of nothing to say to him 
on the subject that would not belittle Mars 
more in his sight; and yet, to waft him all the 
bills without a word, and drift along as Mars 
said he preferred to, without making any effort 
to change the course of things, was beyond en¬ 
durance. 

“Edward, do you like entertaining?” she 
said hesitatingly. “Or would you prefer be¬ 
ing just by ourselves?” 

“I enjoy being with you, Grace, more than 
with anyone in the world.” 

“Oh, I did not mean that, Edward. I mean 
do you prefer to—to entertain Mars and me 
alone, or have a lot of people coming to us all 
the time?” 

“I should be dreadfully selfish to want to 
monopolize all of your time, and bar out your 
other friends, even though they are not at all 
necessary to my happiness.” 

“I mean,” said Grace, determined to make 
herself understood, “don’t you find the ex¬ 
penses of this house frightfully heavy?” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


47 


“Are you harping about those bills again! 
What shall I do with you! I asked you to 
come out to get your mind off of your book¬ 
keeping. ’’ 

“It is impossible for me to get my mind off 
them. The various items are all mounting up, 
and you have one statement there for the wine 
I hardly think fair to add to your responsibili¬ 
ties. ’ ’ 

1 ‘ My dear, I never try to keep an itemized ac¬ 
count of life. I just count the cost of an out¬ 
ing, or an experience, without cataloging the 
minor details. ” 

“But aren’t you finding the cost of this ex¬ 
perience rather expensive!” 

“No, I am not. I am more happy and com¬ 
fortable than I have ever been in 'my life. 
Won’t you please stop worrying your little head 
over my expense account! Come give me an¬ 
other lesson in croquet. I am getting very en¬ 
thusiastic over the game.” 

“Didn’t you ever play it in America, Ed¬ 
ward! I remember seeing it played every¬ 
where when I was a child. It was very much 
in vogue in Philadelphia then.” 

“Oh, yes, but I haven’t seen anyone play it 
there for years. We go in for everything so 
violently that we soon tire. It has been taken 
up with a vengeance, and dropped as violently 
many times, but here it seems to be in favor 
always. Shall I get the balls and mallets?” 

“Yes, do,” Grace said. 

She watched him walk to the house with a 
heart that had an unsteadily rising pound. 
Edward’s consideration made her feel more 
inclined to tears that Mars ’ lack of it In spite 


48 


HIS MOBTGAGED WIFE 


of her desire not to be swept passively along 
with the tide, she felt defeated. She was power¬ 
less to divert the current in which she was 
floundering, there was no reef to cling to. 

Edward saw she was still worried and pre¬ 
occupied when he returned, but he made no com¬ 
ment, and entered into the game of croquet 
with great zest. 


VII 


On the first of August, Clayton was more 
than surprised to hear Marsden calmly state 
he would have to run over to France for a few 
days, starting the next morning. It was hardly 
likely his government was sending him on any 
official business, for he was now on leave. 

Marsden’s actions were beginning to strike 
Clayton as very extraordinary. His under¬ 
standing of their original plan had been that 
he was to pay for the lease and Marsden run 
the house, but, on the first of the month, Grace 
had handed him the house bills with pretty 
confusion, saying that she had tried to keep 
them all down and that she hoped he was not 
weary of his bargain. He gave her a check 
for the total amount, thinking that she, most 
likely, had made the mistake and that Marsden 
would correct it, but the subject was never 
broached by Marsden—he evidently expected 
him to pay all the freight. 

The lovely home atmosphere was worth every 
bit it was costing him, but the summing up of 
Marsden was perplexing. This morning he had 
hurried out after making his surprising an¬ 
nouncement, leaving Grace and himself star¬ 
ing at each other. 

“I suppose I shall have to go back to Lon¬ 
don while he is away,” Clayton said at last, 
with some hesitation. 

“I suppose so,” repeated Grace, “but I shall 

miss you both terribly.” 

49 


50 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“Of course you will miss ‘your lord and 
master,’ but I should be immensely flattered if 
my absence were noticed.” 

“Then I am afraid I shall be flattering you, 
Edward. I have never had such a friend ,’ 1 she 
said, with a smile on her lips and tears rushing 
to her eyes. 

Clayton looked into her eyes without speak¬ 
ing, he had never seen tears glistening there 
before. What did they mean! Could it be pos¬ 
sible that she, too, was dreading the thought 
of their separation, even for a few days! 

Her manner towards Marsden had not 
changed since the first, even at times when he 
had been decidedly disagreeable to her. No, 
the tears belonged to her husband and he was 
an ass to dream otherwise. 

He followed her out on the lawn and together 
they walked out to the water’s edge. 

“I have tried to be a friend to you, Grace 
dear—you need one. None of the little sac¬ 
rifices of pride that you have made since I have 
been here, have been lost on me. If I had 
married you instead of the late Mrs. Clayton, 
what a different thing life would be.” 

Grace dropped her eyes and he went on. 

“Well, so it goes! The world is made up of 
round pegs in square holes. I guess you were 
right—without realizing it—I am looking for a 
wife, but until I find your counterpart, I shall 
keep on looking. I hate to think that our de¬ 
lightful days are going to be interrupted.” 

“Iam sorry, too,” said Grace. 

“What do you say to spending the morning 
on the water and having luncheon somewhere! ’ ’ 

“It will be lovely! I shall be ready to start 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


51 


in about half an hour. If you don’t object to 
a cold luncheon we can make a picnic of it.” 

.“Splendid!” exclaimed Clayton, delighted 
with the idea. 

The morning was beautiful. Clayton had 
grown quite proficient at punting and they sped 
along toward the lock as another punt started 
out from the bank in a parallel course. Clayton 
put on a little extra power in order to reach 
it first, if possible, and so did his competitor. 
Just before they reached the lock, whose gates 
were closing, Clayton gave a tremendous shove 
and with a sharp crack the pole broke, precipi¬ 
tating him into the river. He disappeared com¬ 
pletely from sight, while the other punt shot 
ahead, its occupants shrieking with laughter. 

Grace tried frantically to stop the boat and 
turn it about, using her hands in the water as 
paddles. Clayton came up coughing and splut¬ 
tering from his unexpected plunge. In his 
effort to clear his lungs, he made no immediate 
attempt at swimming. Grace mistook this for 
inability, and in her desperate effort to get 
the boat to him, tumbled overboard. 

Clayton shot towards her with a few powerful 
strokes and with some difficulty helped her back 
into the boat, clambering aboard after her. 

“Oh, how silly of me!” Grace cried. “I lost 
my head when I thought you were drowning.” 

“Silly!” Clayton said, as he tenderly 
wrapped his dry coat around her shoulders. 
“I shall never forget the sight of your anxiety 
on my account.” And he took her hand and 
raised it reverently to his lips. 

“I hope you are not going to get cold from 
this,” he said, when he felt her little hand 


52 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


tremble in bis. “I trust my stupidity will do 
nothing worse than spoil our day. ” 

“Why should it spoil our day?” Grace asked. 
“It won’t take us any time to change after we 
get home and we will be none the worse for 
the ducking.” 

“Well, it is not really so tragic; I see we 
have another pole here. ’ ’ 

The humor of the situation struck them both 
simultaneously and they returned home, laugh¬ 
ing every few moments like two children. 

“Experience is a great teacher,” Clayton 
remarked, as they made their second start. “I 
don’t think I’ll try racing again, until I become 
better accustomed to this thing.” 

He turned down the first back-water and 
moored the punt under a huge willow tree over¬ 
hanging the bank. 

“This is a delightful spot for lunch,” said 
Grace, enthusiastically. 

“Glorious!” Clayton agreed, springing out 
and offering his hand to her. 

Grace spread a cloth on the grass and dain¬ 
tily set out the contents of the basket upon it. 
Clayton, watching her in admiration, could not 
refrain from quoting the verse that invariably 
presents itself, under such circumstances, to 
lovers of Omar Khayyam: 

“A jug of wine, a loaf of bread—and thou 
Beside me sitting in the wilderness— 

Oh, wilderness were Paradise enow!” 

“I am sorry you haven’t the book of verse 
to read beneath the bough,” she said smilingly. 

“I am well satisfied without it, Grace.” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


53 


After they had finished their repast Clayton 
got some cushions from the punt and arranged 
them against the tree at Grace’s back, then 
stretched himself out on the grass. As she 
sat there, her flowerlike beauty seemed to hurt 
him. He felt resentment that she had been 
transplanted from her native shore; he knew 
she would have thrived better there. 

“Where did vou meet Marsden?” he asked 
abruptly. 

“ At the home of a schoolmate whom I visited 
at Christmas. He was her brother’s chum, 
visiting there, too. Why do you ask?” 

“I just wondered how you first met. Were 
you engaged long?” 

4 ‘No, he was greatly interested in me at once 
and rather swept me off my feet in his desire 
to marry me immediately. Having no relatives 
to consider made it all quite simple. I had 
only known him about three months and mar¬ 
ried him at the Easter holidays, sacrificing the 
end of my term and my graduation to do so.” 

“And lived happily ever afterwards,” added 
Clayton. 

“Of course, but don’t you think happiness is 
a matter of education, Edward? Yesterday we 
may have thought we were happy, but today 
teaches us something we did not know and to¬ 
morrow’s happiness may depend upon some 
other big ‘if.’ ” 

“That is very true. Happiness really lies 
in the present. Most people have no present, 
only a future and past, with accent on ‘past.’ 
Time gilds it so fantastically that the present 
is obliterated. My case is just the reverse. I 
have been living in the future, I believe, until 


54 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


now. At this moment it is the present that ab¬ 
sorbs me, largely because I realize its evanes¬ 
cence. Tomorrow—who knows where we will 
be?” 

4 ‘What do you mean, Edward?” asked Grace 
anxiously. “You do not think of staying away 
longer than Mars does, do you?” 

Clayton was looking off in the distance, try¬ 
ing to get a glimpse of some of the tomorrows 
that he felt these todays were leading to. Then 
the thought that had been uppermost in Grace’s 
mind burst forth. 

“Oh, I am frantic at this terrible expense 
you have been put to here. I am sure, too, that 
you have lent Mars money, for he could never 
go about as he has on what he gets and I do 
not see how he can ever reimburse you. His 
pay is so small and he is extravagant. He 
should have married wealth. The whole thing 
distresses me beyond words. I try not to think 
of it and to hope you are enjoying it enough to 
feel repaid. When I count up what you must 
have spent, I am appalled. 

“I know you began with the car. I have 
asked Mars repeatedly who the friend was who 
put it in his care for sale, but I am sure it must 
have been you and you did not care to sell it. 
This whole arrangement ought to stop. I told 
Mars so some time ago, but he said it was you 
who had suggested paying the upkeep of the 
house if he took the lease again.” 

“That arrangement has been perfectly satis¬ 
factory to me,” he said. 

Grace looked so worried and upset that Clay¬ 
ton could hardly restrain the impulse to take 
her in his arms and soothe her, but fearful 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


55 


of the consequences, he merely said, 4 ‘Grace, 
dear, if I had not been able to afford it all, I 
should never have suggested it. Never have 
I felt more satisfied with my surroundings, nor 
been so happy. I only consider that it has been 
a privilege to become a member of the house¬ 
hold as I have.” 

“What a friend you are, Edward, and how 
easy you make everything.” 

“How I wish I could make everything easy 
for you, Grace, dear. I am trying hard to be 
satisfied with just your friendship and when 
you asked me a moment ago, how long I was 
going to stay away, I was wondering how long 
I ought to stay away in order to get a better 
hold on myself.” 

“Do you mean—oh, what do you mean, Ed¬ 
ward f ’ ’ 

“I mean that I have discovered what every 
other man has, that platonic friendship is im¬ 
possible. If I were sure you were absolutely 
happy, I would feel that the only thing I could 
do would be to go away now, but somehow I 
feel as if you are not happy and I have a right 
to stand by. ” 

Grace had listened without looking at Clay¬ 
ton. She longed to hear more but dared not. 

“We must be getting home, Edward,” she 
said, keeping her eyes averted from his. 

He knew by her voice that he had not made 
her angry and was grateful for that. He felt 
sure now that Marsden was a. cur and he must 
protect her. 

When they came up to their landing, there 
were two or three other boats tied up and they 
saw guests waiting on the terrace. Clayton felt 


56 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


in no mood to meet strangers and told Grace 
that if she didn’t object, he would stay on the 
river a bit longer. 

“Come back in time for tea,” she called to 
him. “I see the Thurstons are there and they 
won’t want to miss you.” 

“All right,” he said, pushing oft. 

Captain Thurston walked down to meet 
Grace. 

“What have you done to Clayton that he 
is rushing off in such haste? Dariel and I came 
over to ask if you three wouldn’t dine with us 
tomorrow night. ’ ’ 

“We should love to, but Mars is leaving for 
France for a few days.” 

“Then won’t you and Clayton come?” 

“I don’t know what to say about Mr. Clay¬ 
ton, he is planning to go to town for a while.” 

“Well, try to get him to come, won’t you?” 
he said hurriedly, as they reached the terrace 
and Grace greeted her other friends. 

The hour on the river gave Clayton an op¬ 
portunity to think. He was in love with Grace 
—that he was forced to acknowledge. What 
was his opinion a few months ago of the men 
who allowed themselves to become infatuated 
with his wife? But then the case in point was 
so different. She had a husband who loved her 
and tried to protect her. Grace had a cad, who 
had evidently married her for what little money 
she had, most likely thinking it more, and was 
now, unless he was terribly mistaken, hoping 
through her, to continue having the luxuries 
he could not provide. 

Grace should divorce him, but divorces were 
not easily arranged in England. An affaire de 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


57 


coeur, however, did not seem to be looked upon 
with great disfavor by certain sets. He had 
discovered that complacent husbands and wives 
abounded on the British Isles. After all, mor¬ 
ality seemed to be a question of geography. 

Why was Marsden going away? He had no 
business interests that could call him even 
across the street, surely this journey across the 
channel was for pleasure. Grace was the type, 
he knew, that would forgive her husband’s wan¬ 
derings, but if she ever realized Mars was try¬ 
ing to make it easier for her to stray, she cer¬ 
tainly would not go on living with him. She 
might close her eyes to Marsden’s philander¬ 
ing, but no matter how blind he showed himself 
to be, she would not be interested in any game 
that called for the husband being blindfolded. 
Should he go and perhaps save her the pain 
of making the same discovery that he had? 
No, he loved her and if he did not come up to 
Marsden’s expectation, Marsden might bring 
others around to grow fond of his wife. 

WLen Clayton punted back to Briar Lodge, 
Marsden had returned. “I have just accepted 
for you to go to dinner at Mrs. Thurston’s to¬ 
morrow night,” he called out, as Clayton joined 
them. ‘ 4 It’s beastly luck I can’t be there,” he 
added. 

“The prospect of dining with you is delight¬ 
ful,” Clayton said, shaking hands with Dariel, 
“but I’ve been thinking I should run up to town 
for a few days.” 

“Put it off until I return,” Marsden said, 
slapping him on the back. ‘ 4 1 want to feel that 
Grace will have someone to take her about a 
bit, when I am gone.” 


58 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


Everyone but Grace joined in to persuade 
him to stay. Clayton yielded gallantly to their 
entreaties and when the guests departed it was 
arranged that he would accompany Grace to 
the Thurston’s the next evening. 


VIII 


It was five days since Marsden had left and 
Grace held his first communication in her hand, 
wondering if it would in any way unravel the 
tangled mass of perplexities their affairs 
seemed to be twining into. She had been 
wretched and upset since he had left, and felt 
so constrained alone with Clayton that she had 
urged him to accept the invitations the Thurs¬ 
tons had deluged them with, making various 
excuses for not going herself. She was eager 
to read the news in the letter, yet was loath to 
open it for fear it would not put her mind at 
ease. 

The letter merely contained the bald state¬ 
ment that he had retired from the service, and 
was hoping to turn up something in France 
that would prove more lucrative, for he could 
see from her recent attitude that she could not 
live on the salary of a lieutenant. When Grace 
finished reading, resentment and sympathy 
were struggling for the mastery of her emo¬ 
tions. The motherly instinct soon predomi¬ 
nated and she was all compassion for the fool¬ 
ish misguided boy; but the only kinship pity 
has to love is maternal, and when a wife has 
but that to offer to a husband, she keeps for 
herself the sorrow of widowhood. 

The thought of “what can I do to help him” 
banished the hope of her being able to go to 
him for help. Four years ago, when she was a 

girl so utterly alone, Mars had seemed a man 

59 


60 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


upon whom she could lean, but now, as a 
woman, she found no prop there. 

Clayton would be back from the Thurstons 
soon. He had made a point of telling her he 
would be home for tea. She would tell him 
about Mars having left the Army. Edward was 
so resourceful, and even though he had no busi¬ 
ness opportunity to offer Mars, he could tell 
him the proper course to follow. 

The tooting of a motor horn made Grace look 
out of the window. 

“I came back early to take you for a ride 
before tea,” Clayton called up. 

“I shan’t keep you waiting a minute,” Grace 
answered, and hurried down, grateful for the 
chance to tell her news while riding rather than 
at the tea table. They covered some little 
ground before she could bring herself to discuss 
her husband. 

“I had a letter from Mars this afternoon,” 
she finally stated. 

4 ‘ Good news, I hope! ’ ’ 

“Rather disconcerting,” Grace said with 
hesitation. “He tells me he has resigned from 
the Army so that he could go in business as he 
knew we could not live on a lieutenant’s pay.” 

“What have you been living on up to date?” 

“Oh, you see, Grandfather left me one hun¬ 
dred thousand dollars.” 

“And it is gone in four years with nothing to 
show for it?” 

“We have two years more on the town house 
lease w T e bought.” 

“That is not much to show for a hundred 
thousand dollars plus a lieutenant’s pay. That 
would mean an average of about thirty thou- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


61 


sand dollars a year. Surely you have not lived 
at that rate. ’ ’ 

4 ‘We must have, for it is all gone.” 

“Did you turn the principal over to your 
husband?” 

“He turned the American bonds into cash 
and deposited it with his bankers.” 

“Did he draw all the checks against it?” 

“Yes, he always wished me to have every¬ 
thing—more than I really wanted. The trouble 
with Mars is, he is too generous.” 

“Undoubtedly!” 

“In what business do you think he would 
make a success?” 

“Well, if he has to start at thirty thousand 
dollars a year, I can think of nothing short of 
printing a private issue of bank notes.” 

“You think we have been terribly foolish, 
don’t you?” 

“I think it criminal in your husband, spend¬ 
ing all your money and then giving up his only 
source of income. However, the real point is 
not the past but the future. He may have had 
some good offer which he has not mentioned 
and which accounts for his trip.” 

“No, Mars only went away so he could write 
me what he had done, I feel sure of that. He 
did not want to run the risk of any discussions. 
I have been urging him not to resign for the 
last month.” 

“That is a very extraordinary proceeding 
for a man to take. ” 

“Oh, I know, Edward, but compared with 
you, he seems but a boy.” 

“Grace, I’m afraid I don’t understand even 
a boy who runs away. ’ ’ 


62 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I know it seems terrible, but be has been so 
upset lately, he has not been himself.’ ’ 

“In that case, the only thing you can do is to 
wait until he becomes himself. Don’t think 
about it any more. A woman can’t adjust a 
man’s life, no matter how devoted she is to 
him.” 

“I am sorry I have bored you with it all.” 

“The subject is far from boring. It has an 
alarming aspect, and I am fearful for your 
future. Your husband is a consumer, not a pro¬ 
ducer. ’ ’ 

“I am not worried for myself, I am not 
afraid of poverty.” 

“No, but your husband is not content that 
you should even attempt to live on a lieuten¬ 
ant’s pay. Love in a cottage is not the future 
he is planning for you.” 

“What do you think he is planning?” 

“God knows, Grace, but I wish I had the 
right to protect you.” 

“Protect me from my husband! Don’t you 
think you are talking rather strangely?” 

‘ ‘ Grace, don’t you think your husband is act¬ 
ing rather strangely?” 

“I—I—oh, Edward, I don’t know what to 
think. Please take me home.” 

Clayton turned around immediately. He 
drove up to the side door and followed Grace 
into the drawing room. 

“I wonder what you think of us,” she said, 
as she sank wearily on to the sofa. 

“I will tell you now what I think of you,” 
he said defiantly, as he walked over to her. 
Standing in front of her, he continued, “I love 
you—I love you more than I dreamt I was cap- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


63 


able of loving any one, but all your sympathy is 
for the boy—you call him—that runs away; 
none for the man who loves you and stays, 
fighting each day to master himself for your 
sake. I feel now, though, that I have the right 
to tell you of my love. If only you could love 
me, the situation would be simple.’ ’ 

U I do love you,” said Grace slowly, looking 
up imploringly into his eyes. “It is that which 
keeps the situation from being simple.” 

“You love me!” cried Clayton, taking her 
hands in his and drawing her up to him. “You 
love me!” he asked again, incredulously, look¬ 
ing searchingly into her tear-dimmed eyes. 

She swayed and he caught her in his arms. 
At the contact, his pent-up emotions broke 
from his control and he crushed her to him with 
love’s mastery. 

Clayton heard the tea wagon being pushed 
down the hall, and releasing Grace from his 
embrace, he gently dropped her back into her 
seat on the sofa. When the maid left, it was he 
who poured the tea. Grace was too over¬ 
whelmed to move. She had never known what 
love was before and she sat there afraid to 
look into her lover’s eyes. 

“Dearest,” Clayton said, “I promised the 
Thurstons to bring you back to dine there with 
me tonight. Shall we go!” 

“I will do whatever you wish, Edward,” 
Grace answered almost inaudibly. 

“Will you, dearest!” he asked, and unmind¬ 
ful of the tea he had poured, sat down beside 
her and took her in his arms. 

“Then we will dine out tonight, dear, since 
you leave the decision to me.” 


64 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


Clayton had not been so supremely happy in 
many years—everything was turning out as 
he desired. Grace was his, or rather, ready to 
be, and that alone was enough for any man to 
ask. It was obvious now that she had never 
really loved Marsden. Her sweet devoted 
nature needed a worthy person on which to 
lavish itself. He would be that person. He 
had always heard and often seen that in every 
couple one is loving and the other loved. Their 
love would prove the exception. She was ador¬ 
able and of the adoring kind. He would do his 
best to deserve and keep her adoration. It was 
regrettable that another divorce would have to 
be manoeuvered before they could enjoy their 
lives together. With these ideas in mind, he 
did not pursue Grace with any further mention 
of his love, beyond an extra tenderness of man¬ 
ner as they drove over to the Thurston home. 

Captain Thurston and Dariel greeted them 
cordially, Dariel taking possession of Clayton 
at once. 

This magnificent girl was most amusing. 
Without a surface indication of depth of any 
sort, there was, even with all her boyish 
swagger, something attractive about her to 
Clayton. At times he had suspected that all the 
athletic business was only a pose, arising from 
her desire to be called a good fellow, while her 
instincts were really feminine. She seemed to 
overdo the sports talk somewhat, but she was a 
new and interesting type, and had he been less 
absorbed in Grace, a pleasing opportunity for 
invesigation would have been offered. 

“How have you two been getting on with 
Marsden away—not quarreling, I hope?” she 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


65 


asked as they seated themselves at the table. 

“No,” replied Clayton, “I can hardly call it 
that, but you see, I am so intensely American 
and Grace has become so completely English, 
that there are many subjects open for debate. 
Perhaps, after I spend a few years among you, 
I shall cease to be an alien.’ ’ 

“Years? How lovely! I thought you were 
only here on a short visit. ’ r 

“That was my original intention. Home, 
however, reminds me of work. It seems, I have 
worked all my life, as I look back over it, and 
now that I am having a vacation, work does not 
appeal to me. Until work becomes necessary I 
may continue to play. We don’t find such 
charming playmates in America, they are all 
working there; even the women, if they have no 
interests of their own, they take upon them¬ 
selves the management of the affairs of their 
friends. Here you seem too busy with your 
personal pursuits to worry about those of 
others. I might stay here years, if they were 
made attractive for me.” 

“Weren’t they made attractive in America? 
I should have thought your clever country¬ 
women could have made time pass pleasantly 
for you. I have never heard of a charming un¬ 
attached man being neglected anywhere. We 
will see that you are not here. You must take 
up polo.” 

“I am afraid not. Polo is one of those things 
that requires an early apprenticeship and ex¬ 
clusive later attention. I have no desire to be 
mediocre at polo and it is too late now to hope 
to excel in it. My pleasure will be in watching 
others, not participating.” 


66 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“Then you must play tennis or cricket.” 

“I must take up something strenuous, I see, 
to interest you at all, but neither one of them 
appeals very strongly to me.” 

“I wish I knew something you would enjoy, 
Mr. Clayton, for we should love to have you 
stay. ’’ 

4 4 That is very kind of you. They told me the 
English people were not friendly toward the 
Americans, but that lias not been my experi¬ 
ence.” 

44 1 don’t think we know the Americans; 
those we see on shipboard and about the hotels 
are not like you. If it were not for your accent, 
I should say you were English. In every other 
way, you are exactly like us.” 

44 Perhaps you could teach me the accent,” 
replied Clayton gallantly. 

4 4 Indeed, I will try. It will come with daily 
association, you know, and many tete-a-tetes. ” 

4 4 The prospect is alluring. I will subscribe 
at once for all the sporting magazines, so I will 
be up on your topics. ’ ’ 

4 4 Now you are ragging me. Am I really such 
a sporting sheet? Mother tells me I should 
have been a man just because I have been well 
and strong all my life and lived outdoors, in¬ 
stead of poking around the fire doing fancy 
work; but, I am a woman all the same, and if 
the right man comes along, he will find it out 
and I won’t be running around after other men 
either.” 

4 4 Bravely said, my dear girl. Stick close to 
that principle and you will be happy and make 
some one else happy, too.” 

Clayton was called upon to verify a state- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


67 


ment made by Major Harper, as to the fallacy 
of the prohibition law in America, and the con¬ 
versation became general. 

Grace was at the other end of the table, re¬ 
ceiving all of Captain Thurston’s attention but 
apparently doing very little of the talking. 

After dinner, as they strolled out on the lawn, 
Dariel remained with Clayton, somewhat to his 
annoyance, as he did not want Grace at such a 
time to think he was seeking the society of any¬ 
one but herself, but there was no escape for 
him. 

4 ‘ Tell me something about America and your 
life over there,” Dariel asked, when they had 
seated themselves on a bench. 

‘ ‘Well, I played baseball and fooball a lot in 
my early life and did plenty of skating, getting 
quite proficient in it, both on ice and on rollers. 
Then I went to work, worked, and here I am.” 

“Now, you are ragging me again. I was not 
thinking of your games, but of your life while 
you were working. How was it you never 
married ?’ ’ 

“I did, but the trouble was, I backed the 
wrong horse, that was all. The judge called 
the race off and I was free to gallop off the 
matrimonial course . 9 y 

“Won’t you please stop talking horse, too, 
and treat me seriously? Then you have been 
married and, I suppose, divorced.” 

“Yes, and now with your English notions 
about divorce, I imagine I am ready for the dis¬ 
card and my accent will not be corrected. ’ ’ 

“Of course it is too bad, and I dare say you 
have suffered a lot in getting where you are, 
but it does not change you any. Will you come 


68 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


over tomorrow for your first lesson in ‘English 
as she is spoke 

Clayton hesitated—it was the very last thing 
he wanted to do. Yet, mixing with their friends 
was the only way to keep the women’s tongues 
off Grace and himself. If he were to plead a 
town engagement she might run over to see 
Grace—to say he would try, would leave him 
worse off than ever. 

Noting his hesitation, Dariel said, “Perhaps 
you don’t care to begin so soon. Come when¬ 
ever you feel inclined, I shall look forward to 
broadening out some of your a’s.” 

“I am not certain about tomorrow, but you 
may be sure of seeing me at the first opportun¬ 
ity. ’ 9 

Mrs. Thurston was anxious to have some 
music to entertain her guests and called Dariel 
to accompany Mrs. Torrence. Clayton walked 
up to the house with Dariel but asked for the 
privilege of listening to the singing from the 
terrace. He remained alone, walking up and 
down thinking, until Grace sent word to him 
that she was ready to go home. He went into 
the house, eager to make his adieux. The eve¬ 
ning had seemed interminable. 

Once out of the Thurston’s grounds, Clayton 
let the car out. Speeding along in silence, 
Grace had the feeling of rushing through space 
into the unknown, but. Clayton was steering 
their wheel of destiny and love was his compass, 
so she would not be fearful. A flirtation would 
have filled her with shame, but as she sat there 
beside the man she had idealized from a child, 
she thought so great and wonderful a thing as 
his devotion must be a gift from heaven to 



HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


69 


compensate her for the twenty-four years she 
had existed without love. 

“Don’t bother to run me to the house first,” 
Grace said, as they neared the cottage. “I will 
enjoy the little walk with you from the garage.” 

Clayton lifted Grace out of the automobile and 
cradled her arm in his, so as to help her over 
any of the little rough places on the road. How 
glorious it seemed to her, even on a little stroll, 
to feel secure in his protection. 

Clayton opened the door with his latch key. 
The house was in darkness save for a little 
electric lantern hanging above their heads, but 
standing under its opaque light, the glow was 
sufficient for each to read in the other’s eyes a 
love too powerful and compelling to be denied. 


J 


IX 

“Please don’t look so sad, dearest,” said 
Clayton, as he and Grace walked out on the 
lawn after luncheon. “You will make me feel 
like a brute, if my love is going to make you 
unhappy. ’ ’ 

“I am not sad or unhappy, dear, but the 
thought of Mars does make me wretched. 
What am I to say to him? He has his faults, 
but he is not to blame for my loving you. When 
he returns he will expect to find his home and 
his wife the same as when he left.” 

“I am not so sure of that.” 

1 ‘ Then you think he knew I loved you ? ’ ’ 

“I don’t know what he knew, dear, but to put 
your mind at rest about him, I will tell you a 
few things he did. He has not contributed one 
cent toward the home you think he expects to 
find the same. I paid for the lease, which was 
to have been my share and then he evidently 
made you think that I was to pay the upkeep, 
too, and had you present the bills to me. He got 
the money from me to purchase his automobile 
and has borrowed sizable sums from me on, vari¬ 
ous occasions since—for what, I don’t know. 
Then he goes off and leaves his wife, whom you 
think he expects to find the same, alone with the 
man he knows must love her. I would not have 
told you this, my darling, if you did not belong 
to me, but I want you to see what kind of a cad 
it is you are worrying about, I would give any¬ 
thing in the world to spare you this ordeal, but 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


71 


there is no way out of it. If I took you away 
now, it would just make a scandal and a mess 
of your life—you will have to get Marsden to 
let you divorce him.” 

“Edward,” asked Grace, with a tragic look 
on her face. “Has our experience been the 
obvious thing because we were left alone in a 
house? Don’t tell me the man to whom I have 
been a wife foresaw the course of events. I 
thought your love and mine was sanctified, but 
now it seems degraded.” 

“Don’t say such things,” replied Clayton 
sternly. “The course of human nature is very 
much the same under similar circumstances, 
but the plane upon which love stands is raised 
or lowered by one’s exalted or debased ideas. 
The fact that your husband may have been 
counting on an intrigue does not rob our love 
of any of its sacredness.” 

“When I am with you, Edward, you make 
me see things, as I should, and I soar to idealis¬ 
tic heights; but, when I am left alone with my 
own thoughts, the elevation is not so great.” 

“Dearest, it is a trying situation just now 
to a noble, sensitive woman like you, but if you 
are just a little patient, I know it won’t be long 
before we can get things on a normal basis.” 

“I wonder if even divorce will exonerate me 
in my own eyes?” 

“Come, stop trying to make yourself miser¬ 
able, dear. Let’s take a run over to see some 
of vour friends. ” 

“The Thurstons? We usually decide to go 
there.” 

Grace walked back to the house to get her 


72 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


hat. She was standing in the door waiting for 
Clayton to drive up when a messenger boy 
handed her a telegram. 

Grace read: 

* 1 Paris, France 

Send me a hundred pounds at once am 

here stranded 

Mars 9 9 

Where was she to get a hundred pounds? 
He knew she was penniless. This was another 
demand upon Clayton. How horrible! Must 
she take up the question of money with Edward 
again ? 

“What’s wrong?” Clayton asked. “Did the 
messenger bring more upsetting news?” 

“This is what he brought,” Grace replied, 
handing him the message. 

“Nothing very terrific in this,” he replied, 
putting the telegram in his pocket. “I will go 
to town in the morning and attend to it; and, 
now, to please me, don’t let us discuss this man 
any more today.” 

Grace responded with a pathetic little smile 
and got in beside Clayton, struggling hard for 
self-possession, that she might appear undis¬ 
turbed by the time they reached their destina¬ 
tion. 

For three days Grace was in a state of un¬ 
rest. Hundreds of perplexing questions pre¬ 
sented themselves to her mind. She knew Clay¬ 
ton had telegraphed Mars money and now all 
she could do was wait until he returned and 
hear what he had to say. Grace was sitting in 
her room going over the same treadmill of 
thoughts, when Marsden walked in. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


73 


“You don’t look pleased to see me,” he said, 
as Grace rose slowly with every vestige of 
color leaving her face at his appearance. “I 
am sorry I had to telegraph you for the money 
to get back, but the fact is, I am a beaten man. 
Everything I have done, or tried to do, lately, 
has gone wrong and I am in despair. I tried to 
kill myself last night but I hadn’t the nerve to 
carry it out. I’m tired of everything.” 

“Are you ill?” asked Grace, moved to con¬ 
cern by his talk of suicide. 

“Not the illness that needs an ice-bag or mus¬ 
tard-plaster, but commonsense understanding.” 

His flippant answer showed her that her 
alarm was unnecessary. 

“What made you resign from the service?” 
she asked. 

“I didn’t. I got leave for two weeks, think¬ 
ing I would land a berth I heard of in Paris, 
and was so sure of it I wrote you from there 
that I had resigned, as I had intended to on my 
return. It fell through.” 

“I don’t believe you. You went to Paris 
with some other motive or some other woman. 
It doesn’t matter which. I don’t ask you to tell 
me the truth about anything except whether you 
are still in or out of the service. Which is it?” 

“I have not resigned, and if you doubt my 
word, you can investigate for yourself.” 

“Did it occur to you, while away, what an 
embarrassing position you had left me in and 
how little you improved it by wiring for money? 
You knew that Mr. Clayton was the only one 
of whom I could ask it. How long do you ex¬ 
pect his respect for either of us will last at this 


74 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


rate? You will drive him away by such 
methods.’ ’ 

“There isn’t any danger of driving him 
away. Any fool can see he is madly in love 
with you—and I’m not quite a fool.” 

“Then you deliberately went away and left 
me alone with him and wired me to get money 
from him for you to spend. I am just learning 
that instead of marrying an English gentle¬ 
man, I married an Apache. Go to your other 
women, or anything you want—I am through 
with you forever. I shall divorce you, as soon 
as possible.” 

“On what grounds?” answered Marsden. 

Grace was silent. Her first rage had spent 
itself and, with returning reason, she could see 
that, despicable as his actions had been, she had 
no proof of anything that would procure a 
divorce. 

“Now, be sensible, Grace. You know very 
well that I could not permit a divorce, even if 
I wanted it, because it would necessitate my 
leaving the service and I am about convinced 
it is the only thing between me and starvation. 
I know very well Clayton is in love with you 
and you are in love with him. What you may 
or may not have done while I was away does 
not interest me. We will go right along as we 
have, and no one will be the wiser. I will not 
stand in your way and will keep out of sight all 
I can. You can have your lover and the luxur¬ 
ies he can provide and the protection of a hus¬ 
band. I don’t see that you need make any ex¬ 
planations to Clayton at all. He is paying the 
bills and can keep on doing so. I don’t imagine 
he ever gets the worst of a bargain.” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


75 


Listening to this appalling proposition, 
Grace’s indignation rose as he went along, but, 
when he had finished, she was without words. 
She, herself, at this moment, was the guilty 
one and her lover was in the house. What right 
had she to condemn! But the proposition was 
horrible. How could she sit at the table with 
these two men—the past and the present—and 
what would Edward think of her! Which way 
could she turn! One thing was certain, she 
could never turn back. It was too late for that. 
Never again could she be a wife to Marsden. 

Marsden had waited for her to speak, but, as 
she did not, he began again, ‘ 4 What is the use 
of struggling, Grace! We have played our 
game together and lost. We spent our money 
and enjoyed it while it lasted. Now it is gone 
and we face poverty with all its hideous as¬ 
pects, and our only escape is this one. I say 
‘we/ for I don’t intend that you shall be able 
to discard me and have all the luxury. If you 
want them and your lover, you will have to put 
up with my sharing a little of the prosperity. 
I don’t say this arrangement is ideal, but it is 
the best I can suggest. You took me for what I 
am. You can now help me off this shoal we are 
stranded on, even if it is distasteful to you. 
There are many worse things you can get into 
by refusing.” 

“Leave me,” she cried, unable to listen to 
him any longer. 

Marsden went downstairs and in a few mo¬ 
ments she saw him pushing off in the punt. 
She rushed out of her room to find Clayton. 
His door was slightly ajar and she went in. 


76 HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 

Clayton walked toward her with outstretched 
arms. 

“What did he say? Is he ready to give you 
the divorce? I saw him leaving the house just 
as I came in.” 

“He hasn’t left the army after all, and he 
will not permit a divorce, for it would mean his 
dismissal and he has no other means of sup¬ 
port.” 

“What do you care for that?” broke in 
Clayton. ‘ ‘ He has forfeited all claims on you. ’ ’ 

“I know he has, dear, but how can I get a 
divorce, if he won’t give it to me?” 

“There must be some way—what does he 
propose?” 

“He doesn’t propose anything. Even after 
I told him I would never be a wife to him again, 
he said things could run on as they were.” 

“What does he think you are to me?” 

“Oh! I don’t know what he thinks, but I 
made him realize I knew what he was at last, 
and I suppose he must know that we have 
talked him over. This sudden change could 
only mean that, or—or—” 

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, it’s all awful, I 
know, but everything is bound to come out all 
right in the end. I can’t take you away with 
me now, but I shall soon be able to; in the 
meantime, one thing is certain, I am not going 
to leave you here alone with that cad. I will 
go thoroughly into the question of divorce here 
and I know I shall find some way to free you 
from him. When I get around to talking to him 
myself, a price can be set for this commission 
of his.” 

Two hours later Marsden returned with his 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


77 


boat and another filled with young people he 
had brought back to tea. Clayton was stand¬ 
ing on the lawn when they landed and at the 
sight of the gay coterie Marsden had collected, 
he was forced to add “finesse” to the inventory 
which he had just been taking of Marsden’s 
qualities. Clayton joined the party, grateful 
for their presence at his first meeting with 
Marsden. 

Grace came out to meet her friends and was 
soon presiding graciously over the tea table 
with both Marsden and Clayton assisting in 
serving her guests. 

Marsden was delighted with the performance. 
He had provided the setting of guests to allow 
Grace and Clayton to drift naturally into the 
parts he had assigned them. The young people 
stayed on until very late and when they left, 
Grace, Clayton and Marsden were talking as if 
nothing unwonted had occurred. 

At dinner, Marsden, with the assistance of 
several whiskies-and-sodas, was especially en¬ 
tertaining with the accounts of his trip and 
Paris gossip. He had quite a fund of amusing 
and interesting anecdotes, and it was evident 
that he had not given his exclusive attention to 
business during his sojourn. 

When the meal was finished, Marsden did not 
invite Clayton to join him in a cigar on the ter¬ 
race as usual, but announced his intention of 
going over to the Drayton’s home for a game 
of billiards. Left alone, Grace and Clayton 
stood looking at each other in despairing in¬ 
credulity. 

“What a tragic comedy we are in!” she 
sighed. “I feel as if I should go mad,” she 


78 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


continued more vehemently, “ unless a climax 
is reached soon.” 

‘‘I felt as if I were verging on insanity, 
myself, dearest, as we three sat down to dinner, 
but we must either play the game as he wants 
it for awhile, or have a big row that will get us 
nowhere but in disgrace, if he wishes to be 
nasty. If it were not for that, I would take you 
away from here tonight. In order to be to¬ 
gether now, dear, we will have to put up with 
things as they are, but I hope my being near 
you will compensate for some of the trying 
ordeals.” 

“I was not thinking of my compensation, but 
of yours. Can you be happy here, under the 
circumstances ? ’ 9 

4 4 Happier than if not being able to see you, 
dear.” 


X 


Grace felt life’s dissonances were crashing 
around her, emotional and stirring, but not re¬ 
solving into harmonious melody. Since Mars- 
den’s return, there had been a mad whirl of 
gaieties, and of late, Clayton seemed as anxious 
as Marsden to keep on the go. 

This morning, Clayton’s new automobile had 
arrived and immediately a run down to 
Brighton was planned. As Grace hurriedly 
packed her bag for the impromptu trip, she 
heard the two men in their rooms on either side 
of her, slamming things around. Somehow the 
noise, coming from both rooms at the same 
time, jarred her nerves, and her mind began 
racing over the events of the last fortnight. 

Marsden had ceased being disagreeable and 
fault-finding and was most affable and punc¬ 
tiliously polite. He had avoided a private in¬ 
terview since the one on his arrival. She won¬ 
dered, if ever they did talk personalities again, 
what they would have to say to each other. 

Clayton was as devoted and considerate as a 
man could be—but her peace of mind was gone. 
This great love, impelling and overwhelming 
as it was, could not drown the discordant 
strains that kept pounding in her brain. She 
continued her packing with renewed energy, 
eager to join Clayton and be off. When Grace 
went downstairs, both motors were at the door, 
Marsden had suggested taking the two—he to 
pilot the way in his. 


79 


80 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


By Clayton’s side, Grace gradually glided out 
of her despondency into a happier mood. 
When they reached Brighton she appeared as 
ready as the others to enjoy its diversions. 
Marsden attended to getting their rooms and 
they considered themselves lucky to get into 
the Metropole without having had reservations. 

They spent the remainder of the day walk¬ 
ing with the crowd on the esplanade. The three 
dined together and afterwards listened to the 
orchestra, where the guests all gathered, monde 
and demimonde, indistinguishable except for 
their reputations. 

Marsden was able to sketch the history of 
those whose lives stood out in bold relief and 
the illuminating sidelights lent color to the 
scene. After he had thrown the spotlight on 
all the celebrities, Marsden felt he had contrib¬ 
uted all he could to Clayton’s entertainment, 
and left to join some officers he had run into 
down there. 

‘ ‘This is a delightful little change, isn’t it, 
Grace, dear?” Clayton asked. 

“Yes, Brighton is a most amusing place, but 
I don’t believe I should like to be near the 
ocean. In spite of the music and the mingling 
of gay voices and laughter, I am conscious of 
its roar and saddened by it.” 

‘ ‘ Sad when you are with me ? I feel hurt. ’ ’ 

“Not sad,” Grace hurriedly explained, “but 
oppressed.” 

“I thought you liked living by the water.” 

“I do when it is tranquil, but the surging 
ocean with its waves incessantly breaking on 
the shore makes me feel afraid and beaten.” 

“Aren’t these disquieting thoughts some- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


81 


thing new, Grace? I was going to suggest tak¬ 
ing a stroll, but if the ocean affects you that 
way, we had better not go any nearer to it.” 

“Oh, do let’s go! It is a glorious night for a 
walk. I am ashamed of myself for giving voice 
to such silly fantasies.” 

Clayton regarded her thoughtfully for a 
while before he answered. 

“Dearest, you are both sad and depressed, 
but it is not the ocean that makes you so. What 
you describe is the effect of the ocean on an un¬ 
happy woman. Come, let us go for a walk. We 
must thrash things out, dear.” 

“I shall enjoy the walk,” Grace said, rising, 
“but please don’t think of me any more as 
unhappy. ’ ’ 

They walked in silence for a little while, then 
Clayton drew her over to the balustrade to 
watch the ocean. 

“It makes me feel tempestuous, too, tonight, 
sweetheart, and I shall not be at rest again until 
we get things adjusted. I must talk with Mars- 
den, myself, tomorrow, and have an under¬ 
standing. We cannot go on with this ’menage a 
trois’ another day. He must give you grounds 
for divorce at once, and I will pay him what¬ 
ever his price is. You can live in some hotel 
until the divorce is granted, but there must not 
be a breath of scandal about you.” 

“Oh, I do not care about the world’s con¬ 
demnation. It would be easy to endure com¬ 
pared to the approbation of Archibald Mars- 
den. I don’t want you to bargain for me with 
him. Take me away and grant me the pleasure 
of giving myself to you. I can’t return to Briar 
Lodge or to any place he has a right to enter.” 


82 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“ Yon had better move to the Carleton tomor¬ 
row then, dear, but I will not have you with 
me until you can come as my wife. Perhaps a 
decisive step like this is the only thing that will 
bring Marsden to a realization that he can’t 
get any more money out of me ’til he gives you 
your freedom. I fear though, that if you leave 
now, your friends will attribute the whole thing 
to our friendship and there will be a scandal 
about you.” 

‘ ‘ Oh, I know everybody will be only too ready 
to condemn, but what do we care for what they 
say?” 

“I care more for your reputation than any¬ 
thing else, dear. I want you for my wife and 
the mother of my children.” 

After a moment’s hesitation, Grace asked 
tremulously, 4 ‘Then, regardless of what I have 
said tonight, what would you think the best 
thing to do?” 

“Why, dearest, if we could stand it, to stay 
at Briar Cottage as we are, until he gives you 
the grounds for divorce, then you could leave 
him at once; but, of course, as long as you stay 
there, I will remain. I will never leave you 
alone with that cur. ’ ’ 

“Then let us do it, dear, and I promise not 
to worry you again about the situation.” 

“No, Grace, I am afraid you can’t go on as 
we are and be happy.” 

“Yes, I can. I see it all clearly now, and, I 
assure you, dear, I won’t let anything make me 
despondent again. We will wait until he sees 
he must do what you wish. ’ ’ 

Clayton did not answer for some time. 
Every instinct of his nature revolted at their 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


83 


being placed in a position that necessitated 
association with Marsden, but if he and Grace 
were ever to have a happy married life, things 
must be adjusted so that her actions would not 
be subjected to criticism. He loathed public¬ 
ity and notoriety. He had fled from America 
on account of it and it looked as if, unless the 
utmost caution were exerted, he would be figur¬ 
ing in a much more complicated and sensa¬ 
tional scandal in England. 

“Please, please, say we will let matters wait 
a while until things straighten themselves/ ’ 
Grace pleaded again. 

“If you assure me you will not be wretched, 
dearest. At the moment, it does seem hard to 
know which way to move.” 

“I give you my sacred word of honor that I 
won’t allow myself to be wretched. I don’t 
see how I ever drifted into such a melancholy 
state, having you with me and doing everything 
in your power for my happiness.” 

“Very well, dear, then we will make the best 
of things as they are, and try to forget the 
existence of Marsden. To give the beggar his 
due, he certainly does not inflict his society on 
us any more than is necessary for all con¬ 
cerned.” 

With her fears allayed, Grace was again ani¬ 
mated by love and sustained by hope. 

“Dearest,” she whispered, as she placed her 
hand upon his arm, “will you forgive me for 
casting a cloud over this evening?” 

“Forgive you, sweetheart?” he echoed, draw¬ 
ing her hand through his arm, “I think, now 
that the mist has disappeared, we will find the 
night more beautiful.” Moving away from the 


84 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


balustrade and contemplation of the. restless 
ocean, they became once more the placid lovers 
only conscious of the present and the joy of 
being together. 

As Marsden had not considered it necessary 
to guide Clayton and Grace back Monday morn¬ 
ing, he had motored up to town early, leaving 
them to make the trip home whenever they felt 
like it. They decided not to start until after 
luncheon and, after a happy morning together, 
enjoyed their journey back. Without Marsden 
constantly on their horizon, they were not re¬ 
minded, as they had been coming down, of 
ignominiously having to play “Follow the 
Leader/’ 

Grace was a little fatigued after the trip and 
at Clayton’s suggestion retired early. He had 
decided to have his talk with Marsden as soon 
as he returned home. He walked up and down 
the drawing room floor, going over the proposi¬ 
tion he intended making Marsden and trying to 
anticipate the objections he might possibly 
offer. In spite of what Grace had repeated of 
her conversation with her husband, he had no 
misgivings as to the ultimate success of being 
able to buy him off. 

His pacings soon ceased with the completion 
of his arguments. He stretched himself slowly 
and sat down to finish his cigar over the final 
pages of a novel. It grew late. Marsden had 
not yet put in an appearance and Clayton, 
yawning lazily, threw down his book. There 
was no use waiting any longer, Marsden was 
probably out having a gay time. He wrote a 
note, which he slipped under Marsden’s door, 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


85 


asking him not to leave for town in the morning 
without seeing him. 

Grace did not come down to breakfast the 
next morning. The two men ate in almost un¬ 
broken silenoe and when they had finished, 
Clayton asked Marsden to step out on the ter¬ 
race with him. As soon as they were far 
enough from the house not to be overheard, 
Clayton opened the conversation. 

“I have had some news from New York that 
makes me think seriously of going back there 
soon and, perhaps, to stay quite a while. It is 
never possible to have one’s business run by 
others. I am afraid it is time I stopped spend¬ 
ing money and began to make some more. This 
has been a delightful vacation, and you have 
both made it memorable. What can I do for 
you before I go?” 

Marsden’s face had taken on a look of great 
anxiety, as Clayton went on, but he made no 
effort to interrupt him and was at a loss for 
words when he had finished. 

It was a moment or two before he replied fal- 
teringly. “You have certainly helped us along 
very much, and I appreciate it. This is rather 
a sudden decision, isn’t it?” 

“I haven’t decided finally yet, but if my 
communications continue to he disturbing, there 
will be nothing for me to do but to go.” 

“What does Grace think about it?” 

“I have not told her,” replied Clayton ab¬ 
ruptly. “But I am speaking to you of it be¬ 
cause there are obligations here which, in my 
absence, you would have to attend to, and I 
want to give you all the notice possible. How 
would you suggest adjusting them?” 


86 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


Marsclen thought hard. Could Clayton and 
Grace have quarreled on their way home the 
day before ? Grace was not down to breakfast, 
which was rather unusual—or, was this some 
deep plan of Clayton’s, perhaps to take Grace 
with him? He did not credit the business re¬ 
quirements at all, though he had to admit Clay¬ 
ton had certainly spent money freely. 

Scrutinizing Clayton closely, he asked, “Are 
you returning to New York alone!” 

“What do you mean!” demanded Clayton. 

“Oh, I thought perhaps this was a preface 
to inviting Grace and myself to go over with 
you. We would be charmed, if it were possible 
for me to get away, but I am afraid it is not. ’ ’ 

“No, I had not considered that. The fact 
is, I find myself taking entirely too much in¬ 
terest in Mrs. Marsden for my own peace of 
mind—and, possibly, hers as well. I think a 
change of environment with some hard work 
would be good for me.” 

“Grace has not complained to me in any way 
of your attentions—I think you exaggerate the 
situation. ’ ’ 

“You know I am not exaggerating it, Mars¬ 
den. I am in love with her; and, as she is your 
wife, the only thing for me to do is to leave.” 

“Have you just discovered this?” asked 
Marsden, coolly. 

“Quite recently.” 

“What does Grace think of your going?” 

“Perhaps you had better ask her. I did not 
seek this interview to discuss her, but to discuss 
your future.” 

“My future is inextricably associated with 
hers.” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


87 


4 ‘ Inextricably ?” 

“Practically so. Even if Grace returns your 
affection, divorce over here is too difficult for 
consideration, and, moreover, I don’t want one 
—my position would not permit it. Any scan¬ 
dal would terminate it.” 

“Your suggestion of a moment ago is worth 
consideration in part. Under what conditions 
would you permit Mrs. Marsden to accompany 
mef or, to be plain, what would he your price 
for her freedom? Everything seems to have 
its price now.” 

“I would have to have time to consider it. 
The effect would be far-reaching and it requires 
much thought. I do not say it cannot be ar¬ 
ranged, but I must live; and with my present 
source of income cut off, the future would have 
to be carefully planned out and provided for. 
In the meantime, why not postpone this whole 
matter until the end of the summer, which is 
not very far off?” 

“Do I understand you to imply that at the 
end of the summer, for a consideration that we 
could agree on, you would consent to give Mrs. 
Marsden grounds for a divorce?” 

“Yes, and if we cannot agree on the terms we 
will be just where we are now, with no one any 
wiser and no unpleasantness.” 

“And, in the meantime?” 

“Improve your opportunity to impress Grace 
with the advisability of a change of partners. 
You imply that she has not quite decided that 
point yet.” 

Marsden’s cool impudence was hard for Clay¬ 
ton to stand, but he realized he could get no¬ 
where by a quarrel—there was but one course 


88 


HIS MOETGAGED WIFE 


to pursue—he must meet him on whatever 
grounds he took. 

“Very well, Marsden, I will endeavor to post¬ 
pone my return long enough to permit you to 
calculate your damages correctly. You have 
no idea yet, I suppose, what figure would be 
interesting. ’ ’ 

There was something about Clayton which 
had always impressed Marsden that he had an 
absolute limit to every game he played. While 
appearing to be indifferent to expense, he felt 
he would sacrifice anything or any one rather 
than exceed that limit, 

Grace had always been an asset, he had spent 
her fortune but he knew her beauty would not 
fail to attract for many years. Yet, with all her 
sweetness, she was not a pawn, he would have 
to take her into consideration. She was in love 
with Clayton, that he knew very well. Should 
he strike too high and Clayton take her away, 
or, as was barely possible, actually leave her, he 
might be some time in planting Clayton’s suc¬ 
cessor on his hearth. Just what figure to ask 
was difficult to decide, but it was obvious he 
would have to name one. 

“I suppose ten thousand pounds would see 
me safely started in some new field,” he said, 
watching Clayton’s face closely to note the 
effect. 

There was not the slightest indication, how¬ 
ever, what the effect was. 

“Assuming that some such figure could be 
agreed on, how w T ould you wash it to be paid?” 

“There would be the rub. In so important a 
matter as my whole future, I could not afford 
to take any chances; and I also realize that you 



HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


89 


would not care to either. It would have to be 
arranged in some way mutually satisfactory. 
I suppose a certain amount down, evidencing 
good faith and the balance in escrow would 
cover it; but the escrow would defeat the 
divorce if discovered. The King’s Proctor 
looks into all divorces and collusion is not pos¬ 
sible here.” 

“Well, Marsden, I suppose we can call that 
fairly satisfactory, although it is beyond what 
I expected you to ask.” 

“Done,” replied Marsden, “and now, what 
would you say to five hundred pounds on ac¬ 
count. I am stony broke and really need it.” 

‘ ‘ How do you propose to supply the grounds 
for divorce?” replied Clayton, ignoring the 
question. 

“I know a girl in Paris who would come over 
here and play the part for a proper cash insult, 
but she would want plenty in advance and some 
little attention, now and then, to keep her in 
line. Those French women are always open for 
financial engagements and something else 
might offer itself if she is neglected. That is 
one reason why I need money now. I can as¬ 
sure you the Francaise is ideal.” 

“She does sound promising. I think, how¬ 
ever, I will sleep over the whole question before 
going further. Five hundred pounds is rather 
a heavy draft at this early stage of the proceed¬ 
ings. I don’t mind a hundred pounds, occasion¬ 
ally, but for anything beyond that, I should 
want something in black and white.” 

“Nothing can be signed up over here on such 
matters, it is a gentleman’s agreement.” 

Clayton would have given the five hundred 


90 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


pounds gladly, for the pleasure of telling Mars- 
den that such a thing with him would be impos¬ 
sible, but let it pass. 

“You need have no fear,” added Marsden, 
“my word is good and I really need the money 
desperately. ’ ’ 

“I will give you my check when we return 
to the house—and, by the way, what is the name 
of this fair Parisian?” asked Clayton. 

“We will call her Mademoiselle de Con- 
venance,” retorted Marsden with a smile, as he 
led the way to the cottage. 


XI 


Time was passing very quickly and almost 
happily for Grace since their return from 
Brighton. The future seemed at last to have 
been given some definite shape. She realized 
what they had outlined was in the dim distance, 
but she no longer felt like a lost mariner on 
life’s sea; there was now a beacon light. 

It would take time, of course, to obtain the 
divorce, but the glorious anticipation of return¬ 
ing to America as the wife of Edward Clayton 
would help her through the trying intervening 
days. 

She and Clayton had just been drawing plans 
for their structure of happiness, and she was 
living in her palace of dreams, as Clayton 
rowed her down the river. Nearing the Thurs¬ 
ton’s brought her back to the present. It had 
been some time since they had seen any of them 
for she and Clayton had been so absorbed in 
each other that they had neglected all their 
friends of late. 

“Edward, dear, what would you think of 
running in on the Thurstons?” she asked. “I 
am afraid they will be offended if we stay away 
much longer. ’ ’ 

“I was just looking forward to having tea in 
our own little niche, dear, but I think we should 
stop.” 

The family was out on the lawn and when 
they saw Grace and Clayton land, Dariel and 

her brother walked down to greet them. The 

91 


92 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


four went back together to Mrs. Thurston. Tea 
over, Captain Thurston took possession of 
Grace, and Dariel strolled off with Clayton. 

“Where have you been this long time?” she 
asked him. “ Walking to and fro on the earth 
seeking whom you may devour ? ’ ’ 

“Do I look so fed up as all that?” 

“Well, you look as if you had been pretty 
well taken care of. That is the trouble with all 
the men—the married women give us poor girls 
no chance.” 

“That is too bad. Now, the moment I see an 
opportunity, I shall come over and occupy a 
vacant stall in your paddock and be sure of your 
constant attention.’ ’ 

“Do! I’ll see that you get your morning 
exercise and are kept fit, though I am afraid 
you are too fond of your present quarters to 
stay long. I should expect you to bolt for home 
promptly. ’ ’ 

“I must admit, Grace and Marsden have done 
everything in their power to make my visit 
pleasant. ’ ’ 

“You have made quite a visit.” 

“Yes,” replied Clayton looking up at her 
quickly. “The fact is, I have found the asso¬ 
ciation so delightful and the home atmosphere 
so pleasing after the hotels that, perhaps, I have 
stayed too long—do you think so?” 

4 4 If Marsden doesn’t think so, why should I ? ” 

“Why do you mention him only?” 

“Because I know no woman could help being 
enchanted with your companionship, though it 
might inspire jealousy in a husband.” 

“You surely don’t imagine any one could 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


93 


hope to supplant him in the affections of so 
devoted a wife?” 

“She has always been a devoted wife,” said 
Dariel, slowly, “but Marsden is not a very at¬ 
tractive man—you are, and the daily compari¬ 
son would, I think, have its effect. I can only 
judge by myself. If I were thrown into daily 
contact with you both, I should not prefer Mars¬ 
den. ’’ 

“But you forget, she has already preferred 
Marsden to half the population of the globe.” 

“Oh, I see—or rather, I don’t see. She had 
probably met about six men and he was nearest 
the pole.” 

‘ ‘ The field may have been small but with such 
a prize, the running was undoubtedly good. 
But let us change the subject—we are not mind¬ 
ing our own business.” 

“Yes, we are—your business, and I am ven¬ 
turing to do so to your face. That is much 
better than behind your back as others are 
doing.” 

“Are they really?” asked Clayton seriously. 
“I should never forgive myself if I had unin¬ 
tentionally subjected Mrs. Marsden to criticism. 
What can they say—what do they say?” 

“You see, Grace is very charming and pretty. 
You are constantly together and Marsden is 
away a lot. I suppose his absences are unavoid¬ 
able, but it is difficult to imagine any man in 
the constant society of such an attractive woman 
not becoming enamoured. It is only a question 
of time when you will win in a canter or be 
dropped at the flag. Isn’t that enough to inter¬ 
est the judges?” 

“Probably—what are the odds at present?” 


94 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


44 Ten to one on St. Anthony.” 

Clayton roared, in spite of his growing con¬ 
sternation. 

i ‘ That is the best thing I have ever heard— 
in a country, too, where they are supposed to 
have no sense of humor.” 

“Don’t judge them all by Marsden, he as¬ 
suredly has no sense of humor to leave his wife 
in such fast company.” 

“Fast? I don’t like that word. I thought 
they canonized Anthony because he was the 
only man on record who could not be tempted 
by a beautiful woman. You can’t call a man 
that, and fast with the same breath. It makes 
him nervous.” 

“I did not use the word in that sense. The 
sight of me seems to inspire you to talk horse 
and I was following your lead in using the ver¬ 
nacular of the track. But, seriously, you and 
Grace have been constantly together all sum¬ 
mer, with Marsden only conspicuous by his fre¬ 
quent absences. Do you imagine people think 
you are discussing politics with his wife? Can 
you blame them for speculating on what you do 
talk about? Surely you are furnishing all the 
ingredients for a shilling shocker. ’ ’ 

“You make a strong case. I had no idea I 
was affording the community so much material 
for conjecture and conversation. I suppose it 
is time I was suddenly called to America on im¬ 
portant business, so as to permit the life on the 
Thames to resume its normal course.” 

“Now you are angry and I am sorry. Mother 
says I can never hold my tongue long enough to 
be popular. Please forgive me,” she said, lay- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


95 


ing her hand on his arm, “I won’t offend you 
again. ” 

4 4 My dear child, you have not offended me at 
all—only surprised me. We had a famous wit 
in America who said that if a person’s charac¬ 
ter were being assailed, fifteen thousand people 
heard of it before the one under discussion, and 
his own number was fourteen thousand nine 
hundred and ninety-nine. That is evidently 
mine, too. Do people really say disagreeable 
things, or are they only interested!” 

“I think ‘interested’ describes it. I hope 
you won’t run away because of anything I have 
said. We have all been looking forward to see¬ 
ing something of you in London. Horace has 
really become very fond of you.” 

44 That is very nice. I find myself using 
Thurston as a basis of comparison for the other 
men I meet. I have never met a more likable 
and admirable man.” 

After his last remark Clayton lapsed into 
silence—a silence that made Dariel feel very 
ill at ease, fearing, after all, her effort to give 
him an idea of what was being said, had of¬ 
fended him. 

“Shall we rejoin the others!” she asked. “I 
am sure I have wearied you with my conversa¬ 
tion.” 

“Indeed you haven’t, Miss Dariel. Can’t we 
sit down here—I want to talk to you.” 

Dariel led the way to a bench under a tree, de¬ 
lighted to prolong his chat with her. She sat 
down and waited curiously while Clayton, sit¬ 
ting beside her, threw pebbles into the water. 

“See what a tremendous disturbance a little 


96 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


pebble makes, ” he said, as they watched the 
circles forming in the water. 

‘‘Yes, but you see how quickly the surface is 
again smooth,’’ replied Dariel. 

4 ‘But not until the pebble has disappeared,” 
Clayton retorted. 

After tossing a few more pebbles impatiently 
into the water, he turned to Dariel and said, 
“I was alone over here and pathetically lonely, 
when the Marsdens opened their home to me 
and gave me the opportunity of meeting their 
friends, including yourselves. The net result 
has been an ideal vacation. I have a keen sense 
of gratitude. Now, from your English point of 
vantage, tell me exactly how I should show my 
appreciation of their great hospitality.” 

“By staying on with them as long as 
they will have you, regardless of what any one 
says, but at the same time, showing enough in¬ 
terest in the other women to keep their minds 
pleasantly occupied.” 

“Good, Miss Solomon, that has the right 
sound, and I shall begin at once by a study of 
yourself. I began by regarding you as the 
sporting page of my daily journal, but I am 
surprised and charmed to see that you handle 
the social column with even superior ability. 
If you have not already had it, a short course 
in domestic science would leave nothing in the 
way of accomplishments to be desired, but to 
be a perfect woman you would have to demon¬ 
strate your ability to love hard and well. Have 
you given that subject any thought?” 

‘ ‘ I think you had better confine your attention 
to the sporting page. This conversation is 
getting too personal.” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


97 


“Can yon think of any conversation as inter¬ 
esting as a personal one?” 

“No, I can’t, but it is dangerous, and my 
sympathy is fast going out to poor Grace. I 
am certain now that you don’t talk politics. ’ ’ 

“I thought my staying here depended on al¬ 
lowing Mrs. Marsden a respite and taking some 
interest in other women! You don’t seem to 
enjoy my doing it.” 

“Yes, I do—perhaps too much, but I am not 
going to turn myself inside out for your amuse¬ 
ment. I have had the domestic science course, 
although I hate it; hut as for the other, that 
is not under discussion.” 

“You mean that experience has taught you 
to approach it with caution?” 

“You bait your traps well. I have no experi¬ 
ence, but I have my ideas. ’ ’ 

“Twenty, and no experiences? That won’t 
do.” 

‘ ‘ Twenty-two—and it will have to do, because 
it is true.” 

“A woman who gets past twenty without 
being in love is supposed to be incapable of it.” 

“Not over here, though they say that in 
America boys and girls play at it openly. A 
sort of forcing process that would not be toler¬ 
ated here. Girls here are kept close until they 
are old enough to know what they want.” 

“Have you found that out yet?” 

4 ‘ Perhaps I know, hut I won’t tell! And now, 
Mr. Curiosity, shall we join the others? You 
have made an excellent beginning and I am quite 
sure you will have no difficulty with any of the 
ladies.” 

Both Clayton and Grace appeared a bit op- 


98 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


pressed by their call and not inclined to an inter¬ 
change of thoughts until they had rowed half 
way home. 

“ Edward, did you notice anything in Mrs. 
Thurston’s manner when we arrived!” Grace 
asked, unable to keep from speaking of it any 
longer. 

Clayton had not considered Mrs. Thurston 
and could only answer, “No.” 

“She was frigidly polite to me at first, but 
thawed out a little when she saw you so occupied 
with Dariel. She has always been so lovely to 
me, I can’t understand it.” 

“You said they would feel hurt if we ne¬ 
glected them, I dare say that is it. ’ ’ 

“Perhaps that is the reason. We must have 
them to dinner soon, but it can only be when 
Mars is here. He is away altogether too much 
lately for our own good.” 

“Are you missing him!” 

Grace’s eyes filled with tears. 

“That is the first cruel thing you have said 
to me,” she faltered. 

“Forgive me, dearest, it was intended as a 
joke, but that is not a subject between us to 
jest about. Forget it, sweetheart. If we were 
in a less public place, I should kiss away those 
tears right now.” Grace smiled her forgive¬ 
ness. “That Thurston girl is cleverer than I 
thought. She undertook to tease me quite a lot 
about you and our roaming about together in 
Marsden’s absence. It may be that while in 
this community, it would pay to do some camou¬ 
flaging. What do you think!” 

“Oh, I suppose the women talk a lot—they 
always do. It is too bad we can’t be let alone, 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


99 


but no one ever is. Whatever you think will 
be best—I am sure.” 

“It probably narrows clown to one of two 
things—never to be seen outside the house alone 
or my rushing some of the other women. Be¬ 
tween the two, there is no choice; I am not inter¬ 
ested in other women. What do you know of 
your maids? They mix with the others, some, 
of course.” 

“Yes, there is no way of stopping that, they 
have so little in their own lives that our doings 
become theirs. But I hardly think they have 
seen anything to start them gossiping. If you 
think we are being talked about, it must come 
from the outside, but I am surprised at Dariel. 
I did not think the catty chit-chat of women 
appealed to her.” 

“It probably doesn’t, but she echoes the 
family opinion. I think her teasing me was to 
give us a little inkling of what is being said. 
How soon do you think we can go back to 
London without exciting comment?” 

“In three or four weeks. Every one will be 
going to town then.” 

‘ i I shall be glad. It is lovely here, but today’s 
experience makes it seem treacherous—and in 
the interval, what ? ’ ’ 

“Apply some of both of your remedies. Stop 
roaming and talk to the other women, but I 
shan’t enjoy that much.” 

“Jealous, dear?” 

“Not that, but you are so free and I am so 
tied. I feel like a bird in a cage talking through 
the bars to its mate outside. Do you think I 
will ever be released?” 

“What nonsense! Marsden has agreed to 


100 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


give us grounds at the end of the summer and 
that is not far off.” 

“Somehow, I am afraid when the time comes 
he will not carry it out. It all seems too good 
to ever happen. ’’ 

“It has got to happen,” Clayton said deci¬ 
sively. 

‘ ‘ How can you make him do it, if he refuses ?’’ 

“We are educating his extravagant tastes 
so he will do anything to get the money. That 
is why I am keeping him well supplied now. 
The French girl is undoubtedly playing a good 
second. Here we are at home again. I think 
we have learned something valuable this after¬ 
noon, and we must plan accordingly for the 
balance of our stay here.” 

“Don’t be too fascinating to other women, 
Edward. I don’t mind their falling in love 
with you, but love is so contagious. I must 
find some antitoxin to inoculate you with.” 

“Your kisses are all the inoculation I need. 
Keep me well supplied, dearest.” 


XII 


“Marsden, you will have to stay home more, 
for your continued absences are causing un¬ 
pleasant comment,” said Clayton at tea the next 
afternoon on the occasion of Marsden’s first 
appearance in five days. 

“Where did you get that notion?” asked 
Marsden. 

“At Thurston’s yesterday. They were kind 
enough to make it only too plain.” 

“Nonsense, no one knows when I am in or 
out of the house.” 

“The maids do, and their gossip is inescap¬ 
able. We are only here a few weeks longer. In 
London it won’t matter.” 

“In London it will suit me much better to 
stay home than it does here. This country life 
is too deadly commonplace.” 

“You used to like it,” broke in Grace. 

Both men turned to look at her. 

“Never mind what I used to do,” snapped 
Marsden. Then in a more bland manner he 
added, “you may be right, Clayton, I had not 
thought of the maids. We must give a dinner 
to show the countryside all is well, and we will 
make this dinner enough of a success to blot 
out any notions they may have about there be¬ 
ing any rough corners in our delightful tri¬ 
angle. ’ ’ 

As they left the tea table, Clayton joined 
Marsden in a stroll toward the water. 

“Little is ever gained by sarcasm. In this 

101 


102 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


situation, it should be absolutely avoided; 
Grace’s position is hard enough as it is with¬ 
out adding to its difficulties.” 

“Grace be damned! Neither of you think of 
my position. Here I am, making myself ridicu¬ 
lous to all my friends, simply to furnish you 
with opportunities to enjoy each other’s society. 
4 Butchered to make a Roman holiday,’ and 
neither of you appreciate it. She is still my 
wife, when it comes to that, and I will talk to 
her as I damn please. You want me to stay 
here 1 Very well, I will, but I won’t be nagged. ’ ’ 

Clayton’s fingers were itching to take him by 
the throat, but it was out of the question then. 
There was nothing to do but to swallow his 
wrath once more. 

“Keep in mind one thing, Marsden, I have 
lived several years before reaching London, and 
under pressure I could continue to live without 
giving you further consideration. Grace is your 
wife, and as such, I suppose your English law 
would permit you to make her wretched in many 
ways. You are the best judge as to the pecuni¬ 
ary results to yourself if you attempt it.” 

Clayton’s manner showed Marsden unmis¬ 
takably that he had reached his limit, and he 
changed his tactics immediately. 

“Forgive me, old chap! I have been a bit 
nervous and upset lately—you are entirely 
right. I shall apologize to Grace as I do to 
you,” he said, patting Clayton on the back. 

“I was sure you would think better of it. 
And, by the way, what have you heard from 
your Parisian friend lately, Mademoiselle de 
Convenance ? ” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


103 


‘ 4 She will come when needed, provided I take 
good care of her in the interval. ’’ 

‘‘ Is she still in Paris? ’ 9 

“Yes—why?” 

“I thought perhaps your absence from home 
might be from a desire to rehearse the future 
performance.” 

“No,” laughed Marsden, “that is a pleasure 
deferred.” 

“Is the lady in public or private life?” 

4 ‘ Private—at the moment . 9 ’ 

“Ah, then she is sufficiently well known to 
offer good material for whatever investigations 
may be made.” 

“I suppose so.” 

“The stage, perhaps?” 

‘ ‘ Well, yes, but not continuously. Small parts 
of a spectacular nature.” 

“I see! One to whom Nature has been espe¬ 
cially kind, except in the matter of conscience. ’ ’ 

“That’s good, no wonder people like to talk 
to you. When she comes over I will be glad to 
introduce you.” 

“No thanks.” 

“Too bad, you miss a lot.” 

4 ‘ I am glad, too. When do you expect to carry 
out our program?” 

“I thought in the late fall, toward Christmas. 
People will be occupied with the holidays, they 
won’t bother much about me. It is a serious 
step, Clayton, to break away from a life’s asso¬ 
ciations and friends to branch out into the un¬ 
known, with no better pilot than a French 
actress. You know about how long she would 
stick when my money’s gone.” 

“You have taken that into consideration. 


104 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


The investment risk is accompanied by con¬ 
siderable profit.” ' - 

“ Not so much, after all. If this woman finds 
out what I am getting she will demand half or 
quit if she doesn’t get it. We can’t begin and 
then stop—she will know that as well as either 
of us.” 

“I don’t see why you are limited to that one. 
There must be others available.” 

‘* None that I know. I decline to be mixed 
up with street women. ’ ’ 

‘ 4 Well, the choice is yours. You suggested 
the end of the summer. Now you speak of the 
middle of winter. I hope the next date you set 
will not be the Easter holidays. I might get 
tired of waiting.” 

“I can’t see what all the hurry is about. You 
have no end of money and can surely wait a 
little while to be able to go back home with a 
beautiful wife. I am losing a wife who has 
helped me in every way. In place of all this, 
I must burden myself with a French actress 
who may not be so easy to shake off. I get a 
bit of money, it’s true, but it won’t last over a 
year or two—and then what ? ’ ’ 

“ Just what you did before. Find a woman 
who has some money and marry her.” 

i ‘ That may not be so easy with the handicap 
of this affair; at the moment, my record is un¬ 
impeachable. English girls are carefully 
guarded and notorious characters are not per¬ 
mitted near them, especially among the wealthy. 
Why can’t we arrange for you to take Grace 
away and for me to get the divorce, then my 
record will be all right.” 

“And, for the rest of our lives, you would 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


105 


be levying on me to keep yon from bringing the 
scandal to America. Out of the question.’’ 

“You don’t seem to have much of an opinion 
of me.” 

“It is not a question of opinion, but of self- 
preservation.” 

“Well, we will see what can be done,” Mars- 
den said, turning away. 

Clayton walked back to the house in a 
thoughtful mood. It was evident Marsden 
meant to postpone carrying out his agreement 
as long as possible. In the meantime, he ex¬ 
pected to get payments on account, which would 
add value to the postponement. The fellow was 
without a spark of honor of any sort, and un¬ 
fortunately, was in command of the situation. 

Doubtless, he spent his time away from home 
with other women, and evidence of it could be 
easily procured, but any effort to use it would 
entail his coming back at Grace and himself. 
This w T ould hopelessly ruin Grace and preclude 
the possibility of a divorce, both sides being re¬ 
garded as equally guilty legally. He had drifted 
into a nasty mess with this unscrupulous scoun¬ 
drel, and there was no possible way to force his 
hand. 

Grace had offered to leave everything and 
go anywhere with him, but she was not the type 
to survive disgrace and ostracism—he knew 
'that better than she did. He had learned some¬ 
thing of the strength of society’s laws and held 
them in wholesome respect. No amount of 
money can win against them in the end—he had 
seen it tried. It appeared to be a waiting game 
and he must change his play; instead of feed¬ 
ing Marsden, he must starve him. Even this 


106 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


would require some care, for, if denied too 
much, he might find some way to make Grace 
suffer even more. 

What a foolish idea to have played into his 
hand so easily. Poor Grace! Their marriage 
was not yet in sight. There was no use depress¬ 
ing her with any recital of the conversation— 
she had forebodings enough as it was. The bet¬ 
ter way to cover up the wait was to make things 
as pleasant and exciting as he could for her, 
and put the lid down on Marsden’s touches to 
the extreme limit. 

He greeted Grace with his brightest manner 
and told her he had been discussing the divorce 
with Marsden and that they understood each 
other perfectly. 

“If he will only do as you tell him, Edward, 
I know it will be best for him. He knows noth¬ 
ing of life. I did not either, until I saw and 
heard you. Now I see all my ideas were wrong. 
We were two children—if I had known anything 
of business and money matters, I would at least 
have kept the principal I had. He would 
spend any amount at all that was placed at his 
disposal, and, strangely enough, have nothing 
to show for it.” 

“Never mind, little girl, your tutor arrived 
too late. Perhaps if you had been such a good 
little financier, you would not have had time 
to discover me, or valued me after discovery. 
Things usually turn out for the best. We will 
get through this dinner and the next few weeks, 
and then be back and lost in London, where 
we can do as we like. I think I will try gradu¬ 
ally shutting off Marsden’s supply of money, 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


107 


he seems a bit too sure of himself now. Pros¬ 
perity is most dangerous to his type.” 

“Yes, I am sure that is the best plan. I could 
never follow your idea of being liberal with 
him. He requires no education in extrava¬ 
gance.’’ 

“He represents a new type to me in many 
ways, and I am surprised now at my own stu¬ 
pidity in handling him. I think, however, I 
have his measure at last, and will make no more 
mistakes.” 

“I am afraid, dearest, the greatest mistake 
you ever made was to enter into a partnership 
with him.” 

“What do you mean?” he cried. 

“What could I mean, but sharing the ex¬ 
penses of our home? But I forget it did not 
turn out that way after all. The burden has 
been yours exclusively.” 

“Nothing is a burden where you are con¬ 
cerned—but, oh! my darling! ” he cried, taking 
her into his arms, “I long for the time when 
you will be mine entirely, without a lien of any 
kind.” 


XIII 


Clayton heard the low hum of voices in the 
drawing room underneath him, so the people 
were undoubtedly beginning to arrive. He had 
purposely delayed going down so that Grace 
and Marsden would receive their guests alone. 
Grace had gone down some time before and he 
had heard Marsden descend shortly after. He 
wondered how they had felt waiting to welcome 
the friends who had been invited to see that the 
household was not disrupted. Life’s paradoxes 
sometimes were amusing as well as tragic. 

He regarded himself critically in the mirror 
to make sure he would present an unruffled 
front at the board of inquest. 

Grace had asked him to mix some cocktails 
for dinner and he could not keep from smiling 
at his certain knowledge that those who would 
join in them would think everything was couleur 
de rose. 

The clock struck eight and Clayton hurried 
downstairs just as the Cartwrights arrived; 
the wife, a noted collector of human documents, 
and the husband, a renowned raconteur of cur¬ 
rent events. Marsden rushed out to greet them 
with an exuberance of spirit that was cordiality 
rampant. 

Clayton slipped by unnoticed and entered the 
drawing room. He joined the languid and soul¬ 
ful wife of the passive and bucolic Major 
Adams. 

“Isn’t our hostess a poem tonight!” she 

108 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


109 


drawled, as she gracefully gave him her hand. 
“How can you keep your eyes off her?” 

“My eyes are beguiled at the present mo¬ 
ment.” 

“How gallant you are, Mr. Clayton. No won¬ 
der you have won all the women’s hearts.” 

“I have not heard of any of my conquests,” 
replied Clayton. 

“Don’t let my wife tease you,” sputtered 
Major Adams, turning around to them impa¬ 
tiently. “She is always hearing things. She 
and Mrs. Cartwright are great friends.” 

“Oh, I’m not easily teased,” laughed Clayton, 
and walked over to Mrs. Farrington, a diminu¬ 
tive widow, to take her out to dinner. Dariel 
was to be seated at his left—the two would keep 
him well occupied. 

Grace felt as if she could scream by the time 
she sat down at the table. Marsden’s display 
of consideration and Clayton’s avoidance of her 
made her conscious every moment of their play¬ 
ing parts. She felt she would much prefer let¬ 
ting the world know the secret they were trying 
to hide than be forced to go through a scene like 
this again. 

Grace knew Clayton’s cocktails were most in¬ 
sidious, but she drank one to steady her nerves. 

“I’ll bet Clayton mixed them,” Thurston 
said, as he put his empty glass down, “it takes 
an American to make a real cocktail.” 

“Yes, he did,” said Grace, “and I think fairly 
strong—I am beginning to feel the effects of 
mine already.” 

“It won’t hurt you, Grace,” Thurston as¬ 
sured her, “you looked fagged out when you 
were standing in the drawing room. ’ ’ 


110 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“Well, it is not a bit stimulating to hear that 
I look bedraggled at my dinner party. ’ ’ 

“That is not the word I used, my dear, you 
never could look bedraggled, but we all have 
things in our lives to make us grow weary at 
times; sorrow’s mellowing, shading and shad¬ 
owing bring out the beauty in character and face 
alike. I have never seen you more beautiful 
than you are tonight. ’ ’ 

“You are certainly an artistic conversation¬ 
alist, Horace. You are toning down that first 
remark of yours most pleasingly.” 

Grace turned to pay some attention to the 
guest at her right, but Major Adams was too 
obviously enjoying his dinner to be interrupted 
by an offering of mere words. Grace’s glance 
around the table assured her that all were en¬ 
joying themselves. 

Marsden was amusing those at his end with 
his story-telling, and Clayton was certainly see¬ 
ing to it that Dariel was not bored. They were 
having an animated conversation. 

“How pretty Dariel looks tonight,” Grace 
said to Thurston. 

4 ‘ She is a great little pal, ’ ’ he replied, looking 
over at his sister, “and getting a bit less strenu¬ 
ous. I actually saw her doing some needlework 
today.” 

“Really?” laughed Grace. “I can’t imagine 
her doing anything so domestic. ’ ’ 

“Oh, she has been very busy lately, getting 
the house in town fixed up. We are going back 
on the first. When will you and Marsden be 
coming in?” 

“By the first, or sooner. Mars is anxious to 
be in town now.” 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


111 


4 ‘ He is not as keen about the river as he used 
to be, is he ? I remember seeing him constantly 
on it last year.” 

“No, he seems to get more fun out of his 
motor this summer and virtually lives in it. ’ ’ 

“And when is Clayton returning to his home, 
Grace? I shall be stationed in Canada after 
the first of the year, and I hope he will be in 
the States when I strike there. ’’ 

“I think he is sure to be there by then, but 
I am sorry to hear you are ordered off. Will 
your mother and Dariel go with you?” 

“No, but they will undoubtedly come over on 
a visit.” 

“Mrs. Marsden, are we going to have a few 
hands at bridge this evening?” asked Major 
Adams. 

“Yes, of course,” replied Grace, “we have 
enough for two tables. ’’ 

At the mention of bridge every one began dis¬ 
cussing the game, and immediately after din¬ 
ner the eight players seated themselves at the 
card tables. 

“Don’t you really play bridge, Mr. Clayton?” 
asked Dariel, as they strolled out on the moon¬ 
lit terrace and seated themselves in the garden 
chairs. 

“If I wanted to make a hit with you, I should 
tell you confidentially that I was an expert 
and had denied it to have this tete-a-tete. But 
the sad truth is my friends tell me I have no 
card sense, and I decline to do anything I can’t 
do well.” 

‘ 1 How vain—and how crushing! You want to 
give a star performance or you won’t play; 


112 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


and yon are so painfully frank as to disclaim 
any desire to be with me.” 

“I see you prefer a pleasant liar to an ex¬ 
pounder of truth.’ ’ 

“ Truth wins in the end, of course, but the 
liar smoothes the road.’ ’ 

“If you will permit me to win in the end, I 
shall be completely satisfied.” 

“Oh, dear, this is so sudden!” exclaimed 
Dariel with mock concern. “But let’s talk 
about Grace. She looks bewitching tonight and 
her husband acts as if he had just found it out . 9 9 

“Perhaps he has,” said Clayton dryly. 

“Did you call his attention to it? .... So 
you have made him jealous at last, have you? 
Now all the romance will be gone and the women 
will have no one to talk about. ’ 9 

“Have you heard any more gossip lately?” 
Clayton asked. 

“Not a word.” 

“I’m relieved to hear that—I detest gossip.” 

“I’m sorry I was a tale-bearer, but I didn’t 
know you would be so distressed. I think men 
are much more fearful of gossip than women, 
although their lives are never so seriously af¬ 
fected by it. Have you been making yourself 
attractive to any of the other women, as I 
advised you?” 

“I don’t know how to do that—but may I 
give you my undivided attention, at least, for 
tonight? Perhaps you will overlook my crudi¬ 
ties.” 

“Who said you had any crudities?” 

“You set my faults before me a moment ago, 
I have not forgotten them—vain and painfully 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


113 


frank—a pretty bad combination, very mildly 
described by ‘ crudities! ’ ’’ 

“I am not sure whether you are hurt or 
teasing. If you are hurt I am sorry.’’ 

The look she gave him brought Clayton up 
with a jerk. This athletic Amazon was pretty 
much of a woman after all, and evidently she 
was somewhat interested in him. He was slow 
to flatter himself; but her interest, as he ran 
back over their various conversations, had 
never appeared to flag. While it was never 
obtrusive, she had always seemed as if she 
would be an ideal friend, but then a friendship 
between a man and a woman—rot! One or the 
other always fell. Was she leaning his way? 
The thought was not disagreeable, but it meant 
disloyalty to Grace—that would never do. 

“You don’t answer,” she said at length. 

“I was teasing, little girl. Perhaps we had 
better go in or Mrs. Cartwright will be com¬ 
piling another story for circulation.” 

“It is shocking, our sitting out here alone, 
isn’t it? But I don’t care, if it takes their 
tongues off Grace. I am frightfully fond of her 
and I have always honored her for being so 
loyal to Marsden. Horace says he is a rotter.— 
Why don’t you have her divorce him and marry 
you?” 

“That is a clever idea, how can I bring it 
about?” 

“I don’t know. You Americans always ac¬ 
complish anything you set out to do. I’m sure 
you could arrange it.” 

“Suppose you speak to Grace about it.” 

“Don’t be silly! I am in earnest. Grace is 


114 HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 

too sweet and lovely to waste her life with 
him.” 

i i Have you any idea of the complications con¬ 
nected with a divorce? It is a serious matter; 
I have tried it and I know. And they say it is 
much more serious over here.” 

“Who says so?” 

“Every one—but there is no use of our ar¬ 
ranging matters for her tonight. Let’s leave 
it until tomorrow, at least, she ought to be 
consulted. I think you implied you would take 
it up with her. ’ ’ 

“You are the most exasperating man, it is 
impossible to pin you down to anything. You 
always wriggle out somehow.” 

“You don’t like exasperating men?’’ 

“Yes, I like them, but I don’t know how far 
to trust them.” 

‘ ‘ i Trust me all in all, or not at all. ’ ’ ’ 

“Those improvident remarks are getting to 
be a habit with you. That is the second one 
in twenty minutes. I expect you to be sued for 
breach of promise soon, unless you confine all 
your talk to married women, which is probably 
safer.” 

“It is just on the end of my tongue to ask 
you to teach me how the Englishmen make love, 
but I recall you have had no experience.” 

“I said I had no experience at being in love. 
Being made love to is different. All girls get 
that, but you need no tutoring along those lines, 
I am sure. Do you need any other instruc¬ 
tions?” 

‘ ‘ Who was the chap who said, ‘ Love is to man 
a thing apart; ’tis woman’s whole existence’? 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


115 


I don’t like to ask you something outside your 
whole existence, that would not be fair.” 

“I don’t know who said it first and I don’t 
care—you have just announced it as a fact and 
it probably is, but it seems a very unfair divi¬ 
sion for a woman to pit her whole existence 
against the momentary diversion of a man. 
Don’t you think so?” 

4 ‘It sounds badly, but I am not responsible 
for it. I believe a woman gets what she gives 
in nine cases out of ten, Grace is probably the 
tenth. ’ ’ 

“Yes, she is. She has given all there was in 
her to give and he has never appreciated it. I 
loathe a man who isn’t a man—who expects a 
woman to fight his battles and pay his bills.” 

“You seem to know what you are talking 
about. Is Marsden commonly considered as 
you describe?” 

“I think so. Horace says he was a mamma’s 
boy and only child, brought up to think every 
one owed him something which it was his duty 
to collect. Wjhen he married Grace, we all loved 
her and wondered how she could have thrown 
herself away on him. If there has been any 
bliss in her life, it has been through ignorance, 
and wisdom will surely bring a cruel awaken¬ 
ing. ’ ’ 

“One thing she is certainly to be congratu¬ 
lated on and that is your friendship. I don’t 
recall hearing one woman stand so loyally for 
another. You are a mighty fine girl.” 

“Oh, let’s go in,” Dariel said, rising, “I am 
getting frightfully restless sitting here so 
long. ’ ’ 

Clayton took her in without objection. 



116 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


As they entered, Thurston rose, saying, 
‘ ‘ Come here, Dariel and take my hand.. I have 
not had a decent card all evening and it’s get¬ 
ting on my nerves.” 

Dariel obligingly took his place and Thurston, 
glad to get away, walked out on the terrace, 
Clayton following him. 

“Your summer evenings are wonderful,” re¬ 
marked Clayton. “How late does this good 
weather last?” 

“It varies. Some years it runs right on 
through the autumn with little rain, only a grad¬ 
ual cooling off, but every one gets back to Lon¬ 
don, hoping some of it may reach there. How 
long are you staying?” 

“I believe they are closing this house in 
about three weeks. I may finish the season with 
them here. My rooms and man are waiting for 
me in London.’ ’ 

“Then you are not going back to the States 
this autumn?” 

“I may, it is uncertain, as yet. The fact is, 
certain conditions exist in a corporation in 
which I am a heavy stockholder, that makes it 
advisable for me not to be available just now. A 
strong minority desires something which I could 
not well refuse if I were within reach. My 
stock would make it a majority and incidentally 
work injury to some very nice people. I am 
supposed to be traveling on the Continent with 
a London banker’s forwarding address. Any 
moment some representative may be sent over 
to work on me and I don’t want to see him. 
This largely accounts for my presence here. 
If things take any important turn, I could be 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


117 


home in a week. My attorney is keeping me 
advised.’ ’ 

“I see. I wondered how an active business 
man could content himself in these quiet sur¬ 
roundings.” 

4 ‘My friends are all like myself—occupied. 
This accounts for my being here alone. I could 
find no one who was congenial enough and also 
disengaged to take the trip with me. This 
matter involves a complete change in the policy 
of a public utility, a concerted attempt to 
strangle competition; but, in its ruthlessness, 
it outrages every sense of decency. Posing as 
a philanthropist would be disbelieved and re¬ 
garded as hypocritical. They would only think 
I was holding out for some extra gouge. I don’t 
want them to keep bidding for my stock, as I 
have no desire to sell it. I really think the 
plan is a mistake and likely to precipitate legis¬ 
lative or court interference, which, in the end, 
would be a disaster. I am informed that no one 
will listen to this notion so I am keeping away. ’ ’ 

“By Jove, old man, you are all right! I wish 
we had more of your kind over here.” 

“You do me honor, I assure you. Have you 
ever met Mrs. Marsden’s cousin, Arthur Gray? 
He is my oldest friend and attorney.” 

“I have often heard her speak of him as a 
most successful and promising barrister.” 

Thurston’s relief at hearing so clean-cut an 
explanation of Clayton’s presence was so great 
that his real admiration for the strong person¬ 
ality of the American knew no bounds. 

“Come over often,” said he, “I like to talk 
to you, or, perhaps, I should say, I like to hear 
you talk. I am greatly interested in your prob- 


118 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


lem and most curious to know how it turns out.” 

“Thank you! It may be some time in ma¬ 
turing, but it will be a pleasure to report pro¬ 
gress/ 9 

“I shall appreciate it and will look forward 
to many pleasant meetings through the au¬ 
tumn. ’’ 

The sound of the players breaking into gen¬ 
eral conversation reached the two men and 
indicated that the game was over, so they en¬ 
tered the house. 

When the guests had departed, Marsden 
turned to Clayton and said, “I think my party 
was a great success. Your paying so much 
attention to Dariel was masterly.” 

When Marsden went up to his room, Clayton 
sat down beside Grace. 

“I had a long talk with Thurston tonight, 
dear, and I told him quite a few matters con¬ 
cerning the business side of my stay here, which 
I think will put us all right with him. I have 
never gone into any details with you because 
you have troubles enough without considering 
mine; but, there happens to be a very real busi¬ 
ness reason why I should stay on here, which 
fits in beautifully with our plans. In fact, Gray 
may be over to see me any time now.’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Oh, Edward, I will have to entertain him at 
my home.” 

“Perhaps not, but, even so, you forget I have 
my rooms.” 

“But you promised never to leave me again. 
Oh, what am I saying? Of course, there is 
nothing else to be done if he comes, but I dread 
it somehow.” 

“You know I don’t want to leave you, sweet- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


119 


heart. I see no reason for his staying over a 
week at most.” 

“I wish I knew more about your business and 
your troubles and could help you bear them. 
You will tell them all to me when—when—when 
you can, won’t you ? I am going to be so bright 
and clever and such a help to you. ’ ’ 

“You are all the world to me,” Clayton said, 
taking her in his arms, “there is nothing you 
need learn but patience. ’ ’ 


XIV 


The summer was over and Grace was sitting 
in the drawing room of Briar Cottage waiting 
for the estate agent to call so that she could 
turn the cottage over to him. She knew it would 
be the last time she would enter it, and she felt 
oppressed at the leave-taking. 

It had been the first home of which she had 
ever been the mistress and she had entered it 
with all the enthusiasm of a happy bride and 
with hopes of motherhood, she had peopled its 
rooms with her dream children. Now, as she 
sat in the darkened dismantled room, it seemed 
like a mausoleum in which she would soon be 
leaving all the treasures of her youth. 

Marsden, she knew now, had never been 
worthy of her love, but she mourned the killing 
of it, even though a greater love had been given 
birth. What was their life to be for the next 
few months in the other house which had been 
their home? 

Clayton was keeping his rooms, but intended 
living in the house, so that she would never be 
left alone with Mars again. Oh, how she longed 
for the time when the past could no longer in¬ 
trude itself into the present and rob it of its 
contentment. 

She knew Edward was doing all he could to 
hasten the time, and Mars all he could to retard 
it. Edward had shown her how despicable Mars 
was in every transaction. Yet, with all her 
contempt for the man she knew him to be, she 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


121 


pitied the man who was once her husband, and 
did not want to see him hurt. 

Clayton returned to motor her into town be¬ 
fore the agent arrived, and saw the tears she 
was making a frantic effort to wipe away. 

“Dearest,’’ he said, “don’t have any heart¬ 
aches over leaving this house. It has only given 
us a glimpse of what a paradise a home that was 
truly our own could be. ’ ’ 

Clayton’s tenderness brought back the tears. 
He took her in his arms and held her close until 
the sobs subsided. 

The estate agent finally called for the keys 
and Grace and Clayton started for London. 

“I have been looking forward all day, my 
dear Grace, to coming back for you. My flat 
seemed sepulchral and the formal ministrations 
of Wilson oppressive. I am glad I don’t have 
to stay there all the time, but I think it would 
be wiser when Marsden is out of town. It will 
make things appear better all the way around. ’ ’ 

Every allusion to intrigue or its necessity 
cut Grace to the quick. In spite of Clayton’s 
fear for her of the world’s disapproval, she felt 
she could be more happy with it than forever 
feeling the humiliation of having to conceal and 
hide. 

“Why don’t you answer? Don’t you agree 
with me, dear? We must exert some caution.” 

“Oh, I see the wisdom of caution, Edward, 
but the discussion of it hurts.” 

“I am sorry, Grace, hurting you is the thing 
farthest from my mind. Poor little girl, I am 
afraid you are worn and fagged out from hav¬ 
ing so much moving to do.” 

“Now, don’t try to find all sorts of excuses 


122 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


for my inconsistency. I myself can’t fathom 
the complexities of my nature. ’ ’ 

“It is not the complexities of your nature, 
sweetheart, but the perplexities of the situa¬ 
tion. ’ ’ 

Grace had sent the maids up to town early 
in the morning to get the house in order, and 
it had the appearance of their just having left 
it, when they walked in, and of nothing having 
been disturbed. Its unalterableness struck her 
forcibly and accentuated the great change that 
had come into her life since she had left its 
doors a few months ago. 

At dinner that evening Marsden announced 
that he had been ordered to Dover and would 
only be able to get home occasional week-ends. 
At first, Grace was loath to believe this, but as 
the discussion progressed, she knew from Mars¬ 
den’s annoyance at it, that it must be true. He 
had been counting on a job at the War Office 
enabling him to stay in London. 

“What do you think now, Edward?” asked 
Grace, as soon as Marsden had taken himself off 
to the club. “It would be horrible here alone 
just to placate somebody who might be inter¬ 
ested in our affairs. It all seems foolish to me, 
and I see less objection to your being here right 
along than there was on the Thames.” 

“You know you do not have to urge me to be 
with you, dearest, but I must keep my rooms for 
appearance’s sake and use them occasionally. 
You make it a little harder not wanting to dis¬ 
cuss details—and there are many we should 
consider. ’ ’ 

“I will try to be sensible, Edward, tell me 
what they are. ’ ’ 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


123 


“One very important thing is, I want to give 
you a lump sum to put in the bank, so you 
can run your house and get the things you need 
for yourself without having to discuss it with 
anyone.” 

“Oh, Edward, is that necessary!” 

“Quite! And, surely you will like that ar¬ 
rangement better than the one we have had.” 

“Yes, I will, Edward,” Grace said, with the 
color mounting to her cheeks, “but I hate the 
expense of everything falling on you.” 

“It is absurd for you to feel that way, dear¬ 
est. I am the only one now who has a right 
to do for you, and to see you have everything 
will be my greatest pleasure.—Another thing, 
very important, you must not neglect your 
women friends. I do not believe any woman can 
be happy without some other woman to talk to. ” 

“I don’t need any one but you, dear.” 

‘ ‘ That is very lovely and flattering—and now 
that we are in London, we can roam about to¬ 
gether as much as we like without fear of com¬ 
ment. We will be lost in its vastness. But let 
us not talk any more about the complications 
of the present, but of the time when we take up 
our life in America. England is really a fasci¬ 
nating place and the people charming. I like 
them a great deal better than I expected to, but 
my idea of real happiness will be realized when 
I have you as my wife back in our own country. 
I know you will enjoy New York better than our 
native Quaker town.” 

“What happiness—to be back there with 
thee! My enthusiasm for England has waned. 
The first emotion you stirred within me was a 


124 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


longing to see my old home again—now you 
make me long to see our new home.” 

They spent the rest of the evening planning 
their future in America. That night Grace 
dreamed she had embarked for home. Every 
little detail of the trip was complete—she 
watched unconcernedly the disappearance of 
the English shore with heart and thought cen¬ 
tered upon the port across the seas. After one 
or two calm days they ran into frightfully heavy 
weather and she was terrified by the hugeness 
of the waves that tossed them about unmerci¬ 
fully—the journey seemed interminable—and 
when she was awakened by the maid bringing 
in her tea, they had not yet reached harbor. 

That morning, with much bad temper, Mars- 
den packed up his things and departed for 
Dover. 

Clayton had stayed in his room to avoid see¬ 
ing Marsden off, but he heard Grace saying 
good-bye to him and telling him she hoped he 
would not find it very dull in Dover. 

What a forgiving woman! Knowing him for 
what he was, she was still considerate of his 
feelings. Mothers and sisters were often im¬ 
bued with divine forgiveness, but he could not 
understand how a wife placed in her position 
could still find even mercy in her heart for so 
gross an offender. 

He remained in his room a few minutes 
frowning and absorbed before he went down¬ 
stairs to find Grace. 

4 ‘ Hello there! ” he cried, as he came upon her 
seated in the window-seat on the landing of the 
stairs. “What are you doing perched up 
here?” 



HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


125 


44 Waiting for you—are you going out?” 

“Yes, I have two important errands this 
morning—banker’s and tailor’s. How would 
you like to meet me at the Carleton for lunch¬ 
eon?” 

“I would like to go with you now. I have 
nothing to do.” 

4 4 Splendid, I will get a taxi. ’ ’ 

44 Oh, let’s take a little walk first, we can pick 
up one when we get tired.” 

London was having one of its rare treats 
of sunshine, and there was a snap to the air 
that made walking delightful. They passed two 
of their acquaintances on their way down Pica- 
dilly and just as they were turning down Bond 
Street, Major Sullivan overhauled them. He 
asked after Marsden, and on hearing that he 
was out of town, told Clayton he would take 
him under his wing and look him up the next 
day at his rooms. 

After Clayton had had a fitting at the tailors, 
they took a taxi to the bank and from there 
went for a drive in Hyde Park. It was lovely 
knocking about London with Grace as a com¬ 
panion. How much more interesting every¬ 
thing was than when he had driven around by 
himself in the early days of his arrival. 

He felt now as if he would really enjoy a 
sight-seeing expedition and asked Grace if she 
would, after luncheon, take him to what she 
thought were the most interesting places. 
Grace was delighted with the idea of showing 
him about. 

When they were ready to leave the Carleton, 
Clayton sent for his car. But the day was so 
perfect, they decided to explore the open coun- 


126 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


try rather than any of the buildings in town, as 
they could take in the latter when the weather 
got bad. It was too wonderful a day not to be 
out. 

“Isn’t it glorious and exhilarating !’ 9 ex¬ 
claimed Clayton as they sped down the country 
road carpeted with golden tinted autumn leaves. 

“Yes, but the 4 falling leaf and fading tree’ 
mean ‘good-bye summer’ and I hate to see it 
go.” 

“I would, too, dearest, if it were not that we 
like the swallows, were making ready to fly.” 


XV 


Marsden was glad to be back in London, bnt 
he must have an interview with Clayton 
before he would be able to enjoy its life. As 
soon as he reached the house he hunted Clayton 
up. The week had been a long and unpleasant 
one to him, and he was going to get some money 
to make up for his banishment. Clayton and 
Grace had evidently been having a good time 
and he was going to have his. He had worked 
himself up to the point of being aggrieved, so 
he could broach the subject of his wants without 
any preliminaries. 

“Clayton, I have had some heavy drafts on 
me lately, from Paris and elsewhere, and I 
am short. Will you let me have fifty pounds ?” 

“Let’s see,” said Clayton, “it is just about 
five weeks since you had five hundred pounds. 
That means a hundred pounds a week. Run¬ 
ning on high gear, aren’t you?” 

“I have very heavy expenses as you very well 
know. I sent two hundred pounds to Paris as 
a retainer.” 

“Indeed! That ought to retain the lady for 
some time. Assuming that you recall the sum 
correctly, that still leaves sixty pounds a week 
for personal expenses. I can’t quite follow 
that. Are you playing an occasionally unlucky 
game of cards?” 

“No, I am not—and, moreover, I don’t intend 
to be catechized like a schoolboy on expenses. 

I have always lived like a gentleman and when 

127 


128 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


I can’t get sufficient to do that, I am ready to 
pass out.” 

“A gentleman is not gauged by what he has, 
but how he gets it. ” 

“I don’t need any instructions in ethics, 
either. ’ ’ 

4 4 No, I quite understand that. At the mo¬ 
ment, your need is money—and I would like you 
to understand that, at the moment, it is not con¬ 
venient for me to give you any.” 

“When will it be convenient?” 

“When you show a few more signs of a sin¬ 
cere desire to carry out the bargain you have 
made and for which you have already been 
paid. ’ ’ 

“What do you mean? Do you think I do not 
intend to carry it out?” 

“I am not sure of your intentions. Where I 
came from, when a man makes a bargain and 
gets a payment on account we expect prompt 
performance on his part. If we don’t get it, 
we take action to make him live up to his agree¬ 
ment. In this particular case, I can’t make you 
perform, but I refuse to make any further pay¬ 
ments until I see some action.” 

“Nonsense, old man! I am only too anxious 
to get the thing over—just let me do it in my 
own way and don’t hurry me too much. I know 
my business better than you do,” Marsden 
added, smilingly. 

“All right, and you let me make payments in 
my own way, too,” said Clayton, with a nod 
that plainly indicated that the discussion was 
terminated. 

Marsden went up to his room to think out 
some new method of extraction. As he passed 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


129 


Graced room he saw her sitting at her desk, 
unmistakably making out cheeks. That was 
something new. Clayton had undoubtedly given 
her a bank account. There was no time to ap¬ 
proach her. Clayton might come up now at 
any moment. 

He knew Clayton deposited with Smith & 
Harrison and doubtless the account was in that 
bank. He would endeavor to learn the amount. 
Things looked more promising. He got his hat 
and stick and started out for the bank. 

Arriving there, he stepped up to the clerk who 
knew him, and said, “My wife has lost her 
check book, she would like to have another and 
a memorandum of her balance. ,, 

The clerk handed him a check book and a bal¬ 
ance statement of nine hundred and seventy- 
eight pounds. 

When he returned home luck was with him— 
Clayton had gone out and his wife was alone. 

“Grace, I have got to have some money. 
Clayton refused it this morning, saying you 
were making out the checks now and I’d have 
to look to you.” 

“I don’t believe he ever said such a thing.” 

“Well, whether you believe it or not, surely 
you can give me two hundred pounds out of 
the thousand pounds he gave you.” 

“Please don’t ask me for any such large sum 
as that. The money is for household expenses 
for a long time. I am sure Edward did not 
expect you to come to me for any such huge 
amount. ’ ’ 

“You have not humiliated me enough, have 
you? You would like me to come to you every 
few days for a pound or two, while you can 


130 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


indulge yourself in every luxury, relieved of 
the burden of my presence. You’ll be going 
off with him in two or three months and don’t 
need that much for the house. ’ ’ 

‘ 1 1 know—but— ’ ’ 

“I don’t want to hear any more excuses. Sit 
down and write out a check ‘To Bearer’ for 
two hundred pounds. You can practice a few 
economies and he will never be any the wiser. ’ ’ 

Saying ‘No’ to her husband was something 
Grace had never learned, so she finally, reluc¬ 
tantly and fearfully, complied with his demands. 

Grace remained motionless at her desk, sick 
at heart. She knew, without reflection, that 
Clayton had never sent Mars to her, but how 
Mars could have learned so quickly of the whole 
affair was uncanny. Peace with her was ended. 

There was only one course open—she must 
go to Clayton and give him back the balance be¬ 
fore Marsden could get any more away from 
her. What could she say in excuse for her 
weakness in giving him this large amount? 
Nothing, but she should and w r ould tell Edward 
the moment he returned. 

With her mind fully made up she dressed 
early for dinner and impatiently awaited him. 

“Well, sweetheart—all alone? Marsden has 
not returned?” 

“Yes, he came, but he has gone out again. 
And, oh, Edward, I must talk to you about some 
very disturbing things.” 

“Not a bit of it—I refuse to hear anything 
disturbing now. I am hungry and don’t want 
my appetite spoiled. Tell me tonight. I met 
Thurston on the street and he insisted upon 
my going to the Club with him. That is why 


HIS MOKTGAGED WIFE 


131 


I am so late. He wanted me to dine with them 
and I had the hardest time to get away. He had 
no end of questions and I hope I may be for¬ 
given for my replies. He says he will drop in 
on me at my rooms very often. By the time 
he gets through missing me there, he will regard 
me as the most popular man in London. ’’ 

4 4 You would be if every one knew you as 
I do.” 

‘ 4 What a little partisan you are. Your de¬ 
votion will make me insufferable before long. 
If you will excuse me I will dash up and change. 
I was able to get stalls for the play tonight. ’ ’ 

Marsden did not return before they left and 
the check was forgotten. Later that night it 
occurred to Grace, but she put off the confession 
until morning. 

When morning came, she was less certain of 
the wisdom of telling being the best course. 
Perhaps, after all, if she waited until Mars 
wanted more, a long enough time would have 
passed to make it unnecessary to explain what 
she had given. She could simply tell Edward 
that Mars had learned of the account and that 
her only hope for peace was to give it up and 
to let him pay the bills as before. The more 
she thought of this plan, the more she liked it. 
Fully persuaded that it was the proper way, 
she dismissed the unpleasant subject. 

It was not until late Sunday evening that 
Marsden showed up again. He gave Grace and 
Clayton a jovial 4 ‘hello,” but did not join them 
in the drawing room. 

“Marsden looks as if he had been hitting the 
high spots,” said Clayton. “I wonder whose 


132 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


treat it was. He told me yesterday he was short 
of funds, but I did not supply the deficiency. ’ ’ 

Grace’s cheeks burned—she felt on the verge 
of collapse as she realized the enormity of the 
thing she had done and the utter foolishness of 
it, but the opportunity for confession was gone. 
She had not the strength physically or mentally 
to attempt to make it now. 

Next morning Marsden made an early start 
without breakfast or seeing either of them. 


XVI 


Clayton thought he would be lost in the fog 
once back in London, but he had met a lot of 
people; and friendly interest and curiosity were 
penetrating his fancied mist of obscurity. 
Nothing but poverty ever hides one effectually 
from the public’s gaze and consideration. 

Greatly to his surprise, every time he went 
to his flat he found invitations and memoran¬ 
dums of telephone calls. It was impossible to 
ignore them all. He fell into the habit of going 
to his flat each afternoon, and Wilson began 
telling all inquirers that Mr. Clayton was al¬ 
ways home around three o ’clock. 

Thurston was becoming almost a daily caller 
and their friendship was growing rapidly. The 
only troublesome feature of it being the con¬ 
stant invitations which were not always easy 
to refuse. Clayton had no desire to go any¬ 
where without Grace, yet, on her account, he 
felt he should be seen to some extent with others. 

It was now nearly November and Marsden 
had said nothing to indicate he was making any 
move to carry out his part of the program, nor 
had he, strangely enough, made any further 
efforts to collect. He had been most pleasant 
and courteous to Grace, at least, in Clayton’s 
presence, and to all appearances they were 
settling down into a permanent domesticity. 
After all, we can never regulate the affairs of 
life beyond a certain point—things seem to have 

to adjust themselves at times. But in spite of 

133 


134 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


the smoothness with which everything was run¬ 
ning at present, Clayton felt he must make an¬ 
other effort to bring things to an issue. 

It was a rainy Sunday morning and no time 
could be more propitious. Immediately after 
breakfast he took up the subject with Marsden. 

“What do you hear from Mademoiselle? 

When will she be over?” 

“She wrote me, not long ago, that she did 
not think there was going to be enough in. it 
to compensate her for the injury the publicity 
might do her.” 

“What did you reply?” 

“What could I? It was an invitation for a 
draft, but I was unable to send her one. ’ ’ 

“Just what did you answer?” 

“I didn’t answer at all.” 

“How long ago was this?” 

‘ ‘ Oh, about ten days. ’ ’ 

“She no longer recalls your two hundred 
pound retainer ? ’ ’ 

“Apparently not.” 

“What do you propose to do now?” 

“Look for some one else, I suppose. Some 
one who will undertake to go through with it for 
the glory that is in it. ’ ’ 

Clayton made no reply. Truly this parasite 
had the best of every argument. Neither the 
feeding nor the starving process seemed to 
produce results. Even the lump sum was in 
vain. Marsden wanted to go right along as he 
was. The whole situation was nauseating in 
the extreme. Marsden regarded Grace as a 
source of revenue, and was unwilling to release 
his hold on her. 

Coming back to the subject again Clayton 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


135 


said, “What is it you want to do! Cut out 
all the camouflage now and tell me what you 
have in mind.” 

‘ ‘ I have nothing to tell you. You have robbed 
me of my wife’s affections and you refuse to 
supply me with sufficient funds to arrange a 
decent divorce. I am helpless. The real ques¬ 
tion is, what is it you want!” 

“I think we have gotten past that. You know 
very well what I want and what you agreed to 
do in connection with your highly improbable 
Mademoiselle de Convenance. Three months 
have been wasted now. My stay in England is 
not indefinite. I did not come here to live—you 
surely have sense enough to see that and know 
that I will return to America sooner or later to 
stay. Once for all, name your terms.” 

“What can any man want more than what 
you already have! Grace is completely yours 
and no one knows it—to the world you are a 
single man and able to go anywhere. The free¬ 
dom of a bachelor and all the joys of matri¬ 
mony. Nothing could be more ideal, but you are 
not satisfied. On the other hand, I, the author 
of all your happiness, am obliged to grub along 
on my pay without any recognition of my value 
as a chaperon.” 

Listening to Marsden’s homily, Clayton’s 
feelings subsided from fury to disgust. Why 
not pension the beggar off for a few months 
and let things drift until he could think of some 
way to make him come to terms! 

“Marsden, I am going to give you two hun¬ 
dred pounds on the first of November, which is 
only a few days off, and one hundred and 
seventy-five pounds on the first of December, 


136 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


decreasing twenty-five pounds a month until I 
go to America with Grace or alone. When you 
are ready to take the balance of ten thousand 
pounds and give her the divorce, let me know.” 

“Agreed!” replied Marsden. “I will start 
at once to study out some plan for it.” 

The morning argument with Marsden made 
Clayton feel out of sorts all day. After the or¬ 
deal of forced levity at the luncheon table, he 
felt he must get out alone. He took a long walk 
and then sought the quiet of his flat. He was 
not long there before Thurston dropped in and 
gave him an invitation from his mother to join 
the family at dinner that evening. Clayton felt 
there was no way of refusing the invitation, 
and besides, there was a certain amount of 
pleasant anticipation in accepting. 

The atmosphere at the Thurston’s home was 
always pleasing to Clayton, but tonight as he 
sat down to dinner, the charm of his surround¬ 
ings made itself especially felt. Here were no 
sordid undercurrents—no jarring problems for 
arrangement. Life was clean, wholesome and 
normal. These were the environs Grace be¬ 
longed in and that he wanted for her. 

“Well, how is your show coming along, Clay¬ 
ton ?” asked Thurston. “You have not men¬ 
tioned it lately, and I had almost forgotten the 
possibility of your having to leave us suddenly 
one of these days.” 

“Oh,” said Mrs. Thurston, “I hope you will 
not go back soon—is there any chance of it?” 

“I have not heard anything new for some 
time. The pot seems to be boiling quietly, but 
has not bubbled over yet,” replied Clayton. 

‘ ‘ I told Mr. Clayton I had had a course in do- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


137 


mestic science, he is illustrating his business 
explanation so I can understand it,” broke in 
Dariel. “I think it is most awfully nice of 
him.” 

Clayton laughed delightedly—it was a pleas¬ 
ure to hear her girlish chaff once more, and he 
gave himself up to the enjoyment of her com¬ 
pany and bonhomie until Mrs. Thurston’s re¬ 
mark, that she hoped to see Grace soon, put 
an immediate check upon his gaiety and he had 
a twinge of guilt as he pictured her at home 
alone. 

“Let us run in on Grace tomorrow after¬ 
noon,” he said to Dariel. “I think she has 
rather a dreary time of it now. ’ ’ 

“I should love to,” said Dariel. 

“And so should I,” Horace added. 

After dinner Mrs. Thurston said she would 
like to have a game of bridge, but explained she 
did not permit any stakes in her home. Dariel 
offered to take Clayton as a partner, saying, 
“I remember your assertion that you did not 
have any ‘ card sense. ’ I want to see if you were 
telling the truth.” 

“You will soon see,” said Clayton, seating 
himself opposite her. 

As the game progressed, Clayton’s luck was 
astonishing. Hand after hand came to him 
until his bid of ‘no trump’ became a joke. 

“This is surely an omen of ill-luck in love,” 
said he, finally. “What do you think I had 
better do about it?” 

“Change partners,” suggested Mrs. Thurs¬ 
ton. 

4 4 1 decline to do that—she has brought me the 
first good fortune at cards I have ever had. 


138 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


Had this happened ten years ago, I might have 
been a gambler. ’’ 

After a few more hands Clayton rose to go. 
Thurston and Dariel started to follow him to 
the door, but Mrs. Thurston laid a restraining 
hand on her son’s arm and Dariel went alone. 

As they stood in the hall she said, ‘ ‘ What a 
wonderful man you are, you sweep every one, 
old and young, before you. To think of your 
being able to win Mother, even!” 

4 ‘You are very disrespectful to call your 
mother ‘old.’ I am curious to know who the 
young person is.” 

“Perhaps it is Grace. I am sure she is madly 
in love with you—how could she help it?” 

“How do you help it?” 

It was a light remark, made with no motive 
or intention whatsoever, but the moment the 
words were out, he would have given anything 
to recall them. 

She did not answer, but simply looked at him 
with an expression in her eyes of loving adora¬ 
tion. Raising her hand to his lips, he said, 
“Good-night, little friend, I would like you to 
value me as highly as I do you. ’ ’ 

Walking was a relief to him. What had he 
been thinking of to allow a rash remark like that 
to escape him and create a situation that was 
impossible from every point of view? The 
glimpses he had had of the Thurston’s home 
life appealed to his better nature, but tonight 
it had done more. It had lifted him up to the 
point where, for the first time, his whole life 
rose up in judgment against him. Memories of 
his earlier standards and ideals confronted him 
condemningly. He realized to live on this way 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


139 


was atrophying to his conscience, and yet—even 
if he could bring himself to give up Grace, to 
leave her the victim of her husband would be 
criminal. He had gotten himself into a vise 
from which there was no release. She was 
his to protect, all the laws of the State and 
Church notwithstanding. He would keep away 
from Dariel Thurston until she had time to get 
over her foolish admiration for himself. There 
must certainly be no further complications. 

With his mind more at ease, he hailed a pass¬ 
ing taxi and drove home. 



XVII 

The incredible rapidity of Marsden’s deteri¬ 
oration filled Grace with horror. Every time 
he had an opportunity to speak to her alone, he 
would accuse her of being the cause of it all. 
She had been willing to make a sacrifice of her 
life for the man she loved, but it was horrible 
to think she had been the cause of another’s 
becoming a blackguard and losing all sense of 
decency and self-respect. He had succeeded 
in getting another hundred and fifty pounds 
away from her in small amounts by threats and 
entreaties. 

Grace sat at her desk going over these ac¬ 
counts while she was making these disagreeable 
mental entries. 

“In financial difficulties?” asked Clayton as 
he entered the room and saw her working at her 
books, her face flushed and concerned. 

“ I do get things balled up a bit, but I ’ll finish 
it some other time.” 

“No, don’t do that, let me help you,” he said, 
picking up the vouchers. “You issue a lot of 
checks but they are all small. It is the only 
way to do. _ Pay everything by check and so 
have an indisputable receipt for each.—Hello! 
here’s a big one, two hundred pounds—and to 
bearer. Why did you want so much cash 
around the house? This is one of your early 
ones too.” 

“I—I—needed it at that time.” 

“Why it was cashed at Marsden’s club and 

140 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


141 


they deposited it from there. What does it 
mean, Grace ?” 

64 Oh, Edward, I meant to tell you at the time. 
I tried to when you came home that night, hut 
you said you were too hungry to listen to dis¬ 
turbing things and then I put it off. ’’ 

“Do you mean to tell me that you gave that 
scoundrel two hundred pounds about the first 
thing after I opened the account for you?” 

“I couldn’t help it, dearest. He saw me in 
my room writing a check and he demanded one 
for two hundred pounds. He seemed so desper¬ 
ate, I gave in.’ 9 

“How did he happen to come into your room 
to see you do anything?” demanded Clayton 
suspiciously. 

“I don’t know—I must have left the door 
ajar. The first I knew he was at my elbow de¬ 
manding money, telling me how much I had in 
the bank and how easily I could and must spare 
him two hundred pounds.” 

“What time of day was this.” 

“Nearly noon, as I recall. Why are you ask¬ 
ing me such strange questions—don’t you be¬ 
lieve what I am telling you ? ’ ’ 

“I don’t know what to believe after you tell 
me you have deliberately given your husband 
money. ’ ’ 

“You are trying to hurt me—he is not my 
husband. ’ ’ 

“You say he told you how much money you 
had in the bank—that is ridiculous—you mean 
you told him—but perhaps you carried the bal¬ 
ance forward on the stubs—no you did not. 
Why do you tell me such an improbable story 
as that; at least make your excuses plausible.” 


142 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“ Edward, you no longer love me. I have 
never told you an untruth—I know I was weak 
and did wrong—after I had done it I was afraid 
to tell you.” 

4 ‘Had you come to me at the time, I should 
not have liked it, but should have instantly par¬ 
doned it. After all these weeks, to find it out 
by accident and then to have you stick to your 
silly story about his having known about the 
amount you had, destroys my confidence in you. 
Can it be possible that after all that has passed 
between us, you are capable of using me for 
his benefit?” 

“Oh, I wish I were dead. There is nothing 
in life any more for me. I did not know you 
could be so hard and cruel.” 

“Grace, dear, I could forgive a woman any¬ 
thing but lying to me—women are nearly all 
liars and I have had my share of it already. I 
am going now to find out positively whether by 
any chance Marsden did get that information. 
Are you willing that I should try? Think be¬ 
fore answering.” 

“Willing—why of course Pm willing. Oh, 
if I had only given you back the account as I 
felt I should after the thing first happened. 
But take what is left of it—I shall never draw 
another check on it.” 

“Not even to Marsden?” 

Grace threw herself on the couch in a flood 
of tears without answer. Clayton hesitated a 
moment at the door, disturbed, but he did not 
go back, though he said, “Please don’t cry, I 
shall be back in an hour.” 

Outside the house, Clayton realized the in¬ 
formation he sought would be hard to get. It 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


143 


could only have come from the hank or Grace. 
He had kept the deposit hook himself. Hailing 
a taxi, he went to the bank, studying out how 
to approach the subject. In the secretary’s 
office he said, “I made a deposit here some 
time ago of a thousand pounds to Grace Mars- 
den. It was in partial settlement of a claim 
of hers which I had collected for her as her 
attorney. It was her wish that no one should 
know of this for reasons of her own. It seems 
her husband was promptly advised of it. Of 
course, this was not objectionable, but it made 
me wonder how many other people could learn 
of it in the same way. ’ ’ 

“I am sure, Mr. Clayton, he did not learn it 
here, but I will investigate immediately.” 

Clayton awaited his return, which was in a 
moment, with the story of the lost check book. 

‘‘ Thank you very much. Mrs. Marsden has 
probably forgotten sending him for it.” 

Clayton went back very much ashamed of his 
suspicions but still hurt over the situation. The 
sight of Grace’s miserable and hopeless face 
was too much for him, and he reproached him¬ 
self bitterly for doubting her word. 

Drawing her down to the sofa beside him, he 
told her what he had learned, adding, “It all 
shows what a resourceful knave he is and how 
cunning he can be when necessary. Now, dearie, 
we will forget this whole wretched matter, but 
don’t let it happen again. Your givmg him 
money only retards my being able to bring him 
to terms.” 

“There is no danger, Edward, dear. I want 
no more check books. You don’t know how he 


144 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


puts down the screws. The only safety is in 
having nothing to give. ” 

“No—I want you to go right on with it and 
prove to me in that way that you love me too 
much to care what screws he puts down. What 
is he to you—what could he do? Surely, if you 
care nothing for him, it is easy to say 4 No’ to 
his demands for money. ” 

“I will do as you say, Edward, and I will 
bring you the check book every evening to show 
you what I have drawn out. ’ ’ 

4 4 That is unnecessary, you are not under 
observation. ’’ 

4 4 Are you sure everything is all right again, 
sweetheart?” asked Grace. “I could not sur¬ 
vive the loss of your trust in me.’ ’ 

4 4 My faith and trust in you, darling, is ab¬ 
solute, but I become maddened when I think 
of your being influenced in any way by Mars- 
den.” 

In her room, Grace felt herself slipping down 
the precipice to the abyss of despair, unable to 
hold on to any of her old illusions. They, too, 
were sliding, and all her hopes and ideals were 
tumbling and crashing around her. Oh, how 
she wished she had never consented to let things 
run on as they were. Things never do remain 
at just the same level. Religion, love, wealth, 
all alike—increase or decrease—and a love ex¬ 
posed to such an environment of intrigue and 
deception could not be increased or spiritual¬ 
ized. Tranquil domesticity could never be as¬ 
sumed under irregular conditions. Of course, 
it was not right for her to have given Marsden 
the money—she was distressed and horrified 
at the double significance it had given Edward. 



HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


145 


How different her contemplation of life was 
now! She wondered if she would always have 
to survey it from the valley of tears. 

The next day Clayton did all in his power to 
show Grace that love and confidence had sur¬ 
vived and peace was restored. Perhaps to show 
more effectually that money had not been the 
issue, he wanted to buy her everything he saw 
when they went out shopping and in spite of her 
remonstrance, he bought her a diamond and 
pearl heart-shaped brooch. 

“Mhat a splendid time we shall have, dear¬ 
est, when we buy your trousseau,’’ Clayton said 
enthusiastically, when he saw how pleased 
Grace was with her present, after all her en¬ 
treaties not to buy it. 

4 ‘That will be an enchanting time, dear,” 
Grace answered sweetly. 

“You must have everything new, not a pocket- 
handkerchief of Mrs. Marsden’s.” 

“I shall be happy, Edward, to take nothing 
from the rag-bag of the past.” But Grace 
realized as they sat there planning the ward¬ 
robe of a bride, that youth’s garments had been 
laid away and that among all the new fabrics 
their fancy was weaving, there would ever be 
present the widow’s weeds. Memory is never 
buried and all women keep their little bits of 
crepe hidden among their most brilliant attire. 

The arrival of Dariel and Captain Thurston 
put an end to their talk and futuristic work. 
Dariel told them breathlessly that she and her 
mother had decided to go to Canada with Hor¬ 
ace next month and that they would visit the 
States for a while before settling down. 


146 


HIS MOKTGAGED WIFE 


4 ‘Do say you will be there while we are, Mr. 
Clayton,” she pleaded, turning to him. 

“I will make every effort to get back about 
that time.” 

“Oh, why don’t you arrange to sail on the 
same steamer, then we should have a jolly trip.” 

4 4 What is your ship and sailing ? ’ ’ 

“The Aquitania, December 31st.” 

“I will keep that date in mind.” 

4 4 Don’t you ever get homesick, Grace f ’ ’ asked 
Thurston. 4 4 Wouldn’t it be ripping if you could 
get off for a little visit? We would have a four¬ 
some for everything. Dariel and Clayton are 
hitting it off famously lately and you and I 
have always been good pals. Can’t it be ar¬ 
ranged ? ’ ’ 

44 It sounds delightful,” laughed Grace, 44 but 
my prospects for visiting America so soon are 
not very promising, I fear.” 


XVIII 


“Well, Marsden, here is your one hundred 
and seventy-five pounds, due today, December 
first. January first it will be one hundred and 
fifty—perhaps. I say, perhaps, because if you 
break your word and don’t start something 
serious before the Christmas holidays, the time 
you set, I shall not feel bound to keep mine and 
in all probability will go home. You rather ex¬ 
pected to be generally overlooked about this 
time in the excitement of approaching Christ¬ 
mas. Is it working out that way?” 

“Thank you. I am being forgotten fast 
enough, but the trouble is to find the woman. 
I can’t seem to locate one.” 

“I don’t see that it is necessary for you to 
have such an elaborate escapade. Something 
simple and commonplace would answer, 
wouldn’t it!” 

“Something for two and six, I suppose. No, 
I refuse to be advertised as a paltry villain. 
When I go up I want to go with a whirl. A 
Marsden does not do things by halves.” 

“But aren’t you setting yourself a somewhat 
difficult task!” 

“Perhaps, but it does not matter.” 

“Are you trying to kill two birds with one 
stone and in the same performance secure a 
woman of sufficient wealth to assure your fu¬ 
ture! If so, I think we may as well abandon 
the whole thing at once. ’ ’ 

“No,” replied Marsden hastily, “I am not 

so foolish as that. Such a result would require 

147 


148 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


quite a campaign and, as you say, might be a 
difficult task. No, my requirements are not 
unreasonable. What chance would I have to 
marry well again if any one could refer to my 
having eloped with some street woman? Such 
things are not susceptible of explanation. ’’ 

“Well, what the devil do you intend to do?” 
replied Clayton, losing his temper. 

“I am willing to do anything I decently can. 
You want me to create the situation. Those 
things create themselves if you give them time, 
but what can I do at Dover? If I were con¬ 
stantly in London, I might have lots of chances 
to work up an affair, but it is impossible there 
and just as impossible here between Saturday 
night and Monday morning.” 

“Marsden, I am afraid I shall not get any 
further with you than I am now and it is foolish 
to expect it.’’ 

“Nonsense. You know better than that, but 
why don’t you suggest some feasible plan? It 
is easy to criticize, why don’t you create some¬ 
thing ? ’ ’ 

“You spend a lot of money, and I am quite 
sure most of it on women. I don’t believe you 
gamble much. There is only one class of women 
who will let a married man spend money on 
them to any extent and some one of those you 
know must have her price for this thing. ’ ’ 

“Even assuming that were true, which it is 
not, do you think even gay women would take 
that chance without a big stake ? Your ten thou¬ 
sand pounds would get nowhere in it.” 

‘ ‘ That is too bad. I am glad you told me and 
saved me the outlay. I will look up the sail¬ 
ings,” Clayton said, turning away. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


149 


“Don’t be foolish. Can’t yon stand it here 
awhile! Every one receives you. Is London 
so much behind New York in social attrac¬ 
tions ! ’ 9 

“We are not discussing the relative merits of 
New York and London. I merely wish you to 
understand that this is the last conversation 
I intend to have with you on this matter. If 
within one month from today you have not 
accomplished something, I shall adjust matters 
regardless of your co-operation.” 

On reaching his room he found a cable. 

“Am leaving New York third, arrive tenth. 
Gray . 9 9 

The axe had fallen. In all probability he 
would be going within a month as he had told 
Marsden. Of course, no one could make him 
go back until he was ready, but he might cut 
a rather sorry figure to so keen a man as Gray, 
in inventing excuses for refusing. Something 
was surely up, to induce Gray to come. He had 
regarded his returning home so soon as a highly 
improbable possibility, good to scare Marsden 
with, but sure enough it was happening. 

He walked slowly back towards the house. 
When he finally arrived he showed the cable 
to Grace. 

“Oh, isn’t that terrible,” said she, scenting 
more concealment and intrigue. 

“Why is it terrible! I thought you liked 
Gray. It may turn out well. He is very shrewd 
and a word or two carefully dropped will enlist 
his entire sympathy. He might know some 
better way to handle Marsden than either you or 
I have discovered.” 

“I must have him here, of course.” 


150 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I don’t see that it is necessary in Marsden’s 
absence. I hardly think he would expect it. He 
is well used to hotels and would probably pre¬ 
fer one for his short stay.” 

‘‘ Oh, I hope so.” 

“I am sure he will,” concluded Clayton.. 

The intervening ten days passed very quickly. 
There were two boats arriving on the tenth 
and as the cable had not named the ship, Clay¬ 
ton could only await Gray’s arrival at his 
rooms. After Marsden had gone the Monday 
before, Clayton began packing up so as to re¬ 
move all traces of his presence at the Marsdens. 

‘ 4 This is the most depressing thing you have 
ever done, Edward,” said Grace, “it seems a 
premonition of what will happen some day when 
I lose you.” 

“My dear little wife, such remarks as that, 
while they hurt, please me beyond words. You 
will never lose me while you fear it. I am sen¬ 
sitive and suspicious, I know, but no one is 
perfect except yourself. You must take me as 
you find me, but you will not lose me until you 
want to,” said Clayton, coming to her and kiss¬ 
ing her. 

“When you call me that, Edward, my happi¬ 
ness is complete and even your packing-up loses 
its sting.” 

The momentous day arrived and Clajdon 
spent most of it in his flat waiting for some 
word. At last he received a call from the Savoy 
in which Gray explained that he had come over 
with his wife to have her consult a famous Lon¬ 
don specialist as to the necessity for an opera¬ 
tion. So he had not come over on his business 
after all, and that was why he had not let Clay¬ 
ton know his ship. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


151 


Gray told Clayton there was little change in 
the business situation at home and asked him 
to dine with them at their hotel that evening. 
Clayton accepted, and after hurriedly dressing 
drove first to Grace’s. 

When he had told her the news, she at once 
said, “Arthur’s wife makes all the difference 
in the world. She is a lovely woman who never 
says a disagreeable word of any one. It will 
be a pleasure to have them here. I suppose 
he will look me up at once; until he does, I can 
do nothing.” 

“They will undoubtedly look you up tomor¬ 
row, ’ ’ replied Clayton. 

The dinner at the Savoy was most enjoyable 
to Clayton. Mrs. Gray looked quite badly and 
seemed much older than when he had last seen 
her. Her husband’s solicitude for her left him 
little time to talk business and they put it off 
till later. Gray at once followed Clayton’s 
suggestion to call Grace up and came back to 
his wife with her invitation to make her house 
their home while in London. 

“I shall be so glad to accept,” said Mrs. Gray. 
“Hotels mean nothing but discomfort to me 
now. ’ ’ 

Before Clayton left it was fully decided that 
the Grays would go to Grace’s the next day 
but not for over a week’s visit, as they were 
anxious to get back to America 4o spend Christ¬ 
mas with their children. 

Clayton promised to call the next afternoon 
and drive them everywhere. The whole visit 
took on a most agreeable aspect and Clayton 
enjoyed the prospect of many talks with his 
friend and attorney during its short duration. 


152 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


While Mrs. Gray, at first, needed considerable 
attention, Grace found her presence most di¬ 
verting. One visit to the specialist sufficed and 
Mrs. Gray was assured that what she needed 
was a particular course of treatment which he 
prescribed and not surgery. This was a tre¬ 
mendous relief and appeared to almost have 
affected a cure in itself. Both husband and wife 
were overflowing with happiness which was 
most contagious and Grace found herself shar¬ 
ing it to such an extent as to almost forget the 
storms of the recent past. Even Marsden out¬ 
did himself to make a favorable impression on 
the Grays this time, and Grace completely for¬ 
got Clayton’s suggestion as to getting Gray’s 
sympathy. 


XIX 


Mrs. Gray had expressed a desire to run over 
to Paris for a day or two and sail from Havre. 
She and her husband decided they would risk 
getting on the next ship from there and started 
for France after being in England but six days. 
They found on reaching Paris, that nothing 
was available on the first ship and it would be 
impossible to leave from Havre for two weeks. 
In three days Mrs. Gray was weary of sight¬ 
seeing and longed to be home. Engaging a 
Liverpool sailing from Paris, they returned to 
London on the night train with but a few hours 
to spare the next morning, before taking the 
train for Liverpool. 

She would not hear of going to Grace’s fo* 
so short a stay, so leaving her at the hotel, Gray 
drove up to once more thank Grace for all her 
hospitality. 

Just as his taxi had nearly reached the Mars- 
dens, he saw Clayton come out of the front 
door, enter a waiting taxi and drive off. It 
was barely half past eight and Gray wondered 
what had necessitated so early a call from Clay¬ 
ton. 

He asked the maid who responded to his ring 
if Mr. Marsden was home. Answered in the 
negative, he stepped quickly into the house. 
To his surprise, he saw Grace sitting at the 
dining-room table on which were unmistakably 
the remains of breakfast for two. Grace 

glanced up and saw him in the hall. 

153 


154 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


Half rising, she cried, “Why Arthur, what 
brought you back ? ’’ 

“We could not get a sailing from Havre and 
only from Liverpool. We are en route there. 
I ran up to once again thank you for all your 
kindness. Don’t get up,” he said, entering the 
dining room. 

Grace resumed her seat and motioning him to 
the place opposite her, said, “Won’t you let 
me order you some breakfast?” 

“No, thank you,” said Gray, taking the seat 
at her side which had been vacated by Clayton 
a few moments ago. 

“Is it an English custom for men to drop in 
on their women friends for petit dejeuner?” 

“You are not worrying about the propriety 
of having a cup of coffee with me, are you 
Arthur?” 

“No, but I just saw Clayton leave this house, 
and evidently he had been having breakfast with 
you. ’ ’ 

“Oh, he drops in for meals once in awhile,” 
Grace answered, her color mounting to her fore¬ 
head. 

“Where is Marsden?” 

“He—he will be here tomorrow.” 

“Breakfast is an extraordinary meal for men 
to drop in on in your husband’s absence, isn’t 
it?” 

“Do you think so?” answered Grace, strug¬ 
gling for control of herself. 

“1 know so, and you do too. Tell me what 
it means Grace. ’ ’ 

“I don’t understand you, Arthur, and it 
seems to me you are asking some very unneces- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


155 


sary questions. What is there wrong in Mr. 
Clayton dropping in for breakfast?” 

“Nothing, if Marsden were here, everything, 
when he is not.” 

“I am no longer a child in need of a guard¬ 
ian, Arthur.” 

“I am not so sure about that Grace. I am 
your nearest relative and your friend. I know 
you had a schoolgirl adoration for Clayton. 
You are not allowing it to influence your life 
as a married woman, are you? Tell me the 
whole story.” 

“There is nothing to tell, Arthur,” answered 
Grace, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. 

“Yes, there is, a whole lot. Now out with 
it.” 

“I tell you there is nothing, and I will not 
stay here to be talked to in this way,” Grace 
said, rising and moving toward the door. 

Gray rose quickly and placed himself between 
her and it. 

“Answer me one thing—does Clayton stay in 
this house in Marsden’s absence?” 

“Let me pass,” Grace cried, bursting into 
tears. 

“I will when you answer my question, not 
before. You have both permitted me to bring 
my wife here and I have a right to know what 
the relations are between you and Clayton.” 

Finding escape impossible, Grace sank hope¬ 
lessly into a seat. Gray waited until she had 
to some extent regained her composure, then 
began again. “Your attitude is not that of 
innocence, Grace, and I can only assume that 
you are carrying on an affair with Clayton, 
which pains me very much. This explains why 


156 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


he has lost interest in his business and stays 
over here to its great detriment.’ ’ 

Seeing that further denial was useless, Grace, 
completely crushed, could only weep. 

“This must stop, Grace. Your husband may 
not have Clayton’s attractions or money but he 
is your husband, nevertheless, and I am sure 
is devoted to you. Clayton is a blackguard to 
sneak into Mars’ home while he is away. I 
never dreamed he was capable of such an 
action. ’ ’ 

“Mr. Clayton is not a blackguard nor does 
he sneak into any one’s house. This is his home, 
his money pays for its maintenance. Mars has 
spent all my money and makes my life wretched 
by constant demands on me to get more. ’ ’ 

“Then we were Clayton’s guests while here, 
not Marsden’s?” 

“ Yes, ” Grace admitted painfully. 

“I see. I think I understand it all now. 
Marsden is a party to this menage a trois. I 
have often known of these things in my prac¬ 
tice but did not expect to find one in my family. 
I shall see Clayton and tell him what I think 
of him.” 

“Oh, please don’t. He has tried in every 
way to induce Mars to give me my freedom, 
so he could marry me and take me home with 
him. I think it is almost arranged now.” 

“It won’t succeed if I can prevent it. Such 
things never bring happiness to any one.” 

“Do you think it means happiness for me to 
stay on with Mars and be bullied and abused 
until I am almost ready to steal money to supply 
his demand?” 

4 ‘ What! I don’t believe it. ’ ’ 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


157 


“ You say you are going to Edward. I doubt 
if anything I can say will prevent you. Perhaps 
you will believe him. ” 

“Grace, do you mean to say that Marsden 
is benefiting by your permitting Clayton to take 
his place in your house here? I can’t think it.” 

“Oh, Arthur, I cannot bear any more. Go 
away, please, and think what you like. I shall 
die if this is kept up any longer.” 

“Tell me one thing more, Grace. Where can 
I find Clayton right now? I only have a few 
hours, but I must and will see him.” 

“I don’t know. Ring up his flat if you like. 
His man may know. ’ ’ 

“No, I will go there. I will ring you up be¬ 
fore leaving, or just possibly come back here 
for a word.” 

Turning to go, he added, “This is a damnable 
thing, little girl, and I am sorry for you.” 

Grace wearily mounted the stairs to her room 
and threw herself on the bed with the feeling 
that the earth had opened beneath her feet 
and she was sinking into some bottomless pit 
of shame from which she could never hope to 
i*ise or escape. 

Gray drove at once to Clayton’s rooms and 
found him reading his mail. 

“This is an unexpected pleasure,” said Clay¬ 
ton, rising and extending his hand. “I had no 
idea you would be back this way. ’ ’ 

Gray sat down without noticing the extended 
hand, much to Clayton’s surprise. 

‘ ‘ This is the second time I have seen you this 
morning, Clayton. I got to the Marsden’s just 
as you were leaving there.” 

“Indeed, I am sorry I missed you.” 


158 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


‘‘ Grace has told me all about everything. I 
am here to demand your explanation. She has 
told me a most extraordinary story. ’ ’ 

“What was the story?” 

4 ‘ She implied that Marsden was equal to. us¬ 
ing her for any purpose that would bring in a 
cash return. Is that true?” 

“It isn’t half the truth. He is equal to any¬ 
thing he thinks he could get away with. In all 
my life I never ran across such a character.” 

“How do you find yourself mixed up with 
them ? 9 9 

“See here, Gray, don’t begin any of your 
damned cross-examination talk to me or this 
interview will terminate promptly and unpleas¬ 
antly. If you want to discuss Marsden, go 
ahead, but don’t bracket Grace with him, even 
by innuendo. She is the woman I love and re¬ 
spect, and, please God, will eventually make my 
wife.” 

“That has the right sound, Clayton, but how 
in the devil did things come to such a state? 
Don’t you realize that Grace is being branded 
by things running on in this outrageous fashion? 
If you wish to marry her, and he is the cur you 
say he is, don’t be such a damn fool as to live 
in the same house as she and piling evidence 
against her. Your actions are those of a fool 
or a knave. I got very little satisfaction out 
of the questions I put to Grace. ’ ’ 

“How came you to question her anyhow?” 

“When I saw you leaving her home so early 
this morning, I got a very disagreeable impres¬ 
sion and on joining Grace in the dining-room, 
realized you had been breakfasting with her. 
I am her cousin and, up to this moment, have 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


159 


been your attorney. As her cousin, I was pre¬ 
pared to protect her, at the expense of a valued 
client. Her story seemed so improbable, that, 
while I sympathized with her feelings, I expect 
I questioned her pretty sharply.’’ 

“And, no doubt, made her sick doing it. It 
seems to me the duty of a cousin weighs heavily 
on you, Gray. ’ ’ 

“Well, as I said, I am sorry for it. How can 
I make amends ? ’ ’ 

“I will take care of that. You let her alone. 
You have probably done enough harm now to 
last a lifetime. If you are satisfied with your 
achievement, the proper thing for you to do 
is to forget it completely, before you have an op¬ 
portunity to mention it to a human being. That 
is the course I expect you to take. ’ ’ 

“Don’t worry about that, I may occasionally 
prosecute but I never persecute.” 

“Very well, we will let it go at that.” 

44 Tell me what you care to do, old man; when 
your temper cools off you will see I have only 
done what you would doubtless do in my place, 
imagining, as I did, that Marsden was an in¬ 
jured husband.” 

44 Perhaps you did,” replied Clayton, grudg¬ 
ingly, 4 4 but you have undoubtedly crushed the 
life out of Grace in doing it. I can’t imagine 
myself getting so interested as all that.” 

“I have said that I regretted it. Do you ex¬ 
pect me to turn back the clock? What more 
can I do ? ” 

44 There isn’t much to tell. I found her at the 
mercy of this wretch and I haven’t dared to 
leave. As I said before, he would beat her in 
a minute if she had no one but him to look 


160 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


to and yet she is foolish enough to calf after 
him, worrying herself to death for fear she may 
have in some way been an injury to him. He 
has spent her $100,000 and sent me along for 
quite a sum, besides. How in the devil can I 
get rid of the cur V 7 

“Get enough influence to have him stationed 
in Central Africa, with no home leave. , ’ 

“What nonsense. How can I get influence 
here?” 

“If you have forgotten how it is useless to 
remind you. I will look into the matter and try 
to suggest something. I must go now or my 
wife will think I have met with some accident. 
Good-bye, old chap, I will be thinking about you 
both on the way over and may discover a way 
out. Tell Grace I am hers to command. ’ 7 
“Good-bye, Gray. I will now go and try to 
patch up the damage you have done . 7 7 


XX 


After Gray left, Clayton lost no time in re^ 
turning to Grace. He knew she was suffering 
after the scene with her cousin. 

What a contretemps! Gray’s arriving at the 
house the very moment of his departure, or was 
it one of fate’s accurately calculated incidents? 

Grace had not stayed in her room long, hut 
had gone down to the drawing room to await 
Arthur’s return. 

Clayton was surprised to find her there so 
apparently calm and self-possessed. 

“I have just left Gray and I am sorry, dear, 
that you had to go through such a trying ordeal 
on my account,” Clayton said sympathetically, 
“but I put him right,” he added. “He knows 
now you are in no way to blame for this tri¬ 
angle. ’ ’ 

“I don’t care what he thinks of me, Edward, 
but I hope it will not cost you his friendship.” 

“Not a bit of it, my dear, he is all for us, 
and has promised, on his journey home, to map 
out the proper course for us to take. Perhaps, 
after all, your weakness in telling him every¬ 
thing will turn out in the end to have been the 
best thing.” 

“Arthur saw you leave, Edward, and he knew 
you had been having breakfast with me.” 

“Exactly, but that could have been innocent; 
and, while so early a morning call might have 

been subject to Arthur’s criticism, it would not 

161 


162 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


have warranted his condemnation—you brought 
that upon yourself.’ ’ 

“Yes, no doubt I did, and I have brought a 
great many things upon myself and others lately 
by my weakness. Oh! I have been a fool. I 
might have known no happiness could be found 
in lifers by-ways. If one begins to make de¬ 
tours from the road of righteousness, disaster 
is met at every turn. ,, 

“We have encountered nothing calamitous as 
yet. Don’t work yourself up over this, Grace, 
I beg of you.” 

“What a feeble-minded creature you must 
begin to think me.” 

“Not at all, Grace, dear, I thought it was 
weak of you, under the circumstances, to have 
told your affairs to any one, but your gifts and 
your sacrifices are those of a brave, strong 
woman. Marsden is the contemptible weakling 
who has placed us in this anomalous position.” 

“The strong should help the weak, but don’t 
let us discuss Mars now, I feel utterly 
wretched. ’ ’ 

“Grace, is your wretchedness on account of 
Marsden? If so, I do not care to stay and com¬ 
miserate with you. ’ ’ 

“Would you rather I had only self-pity?” 

“No, not altogether; you might bestow a little 
sympathy upon me.” 

“I have never thought of you as in need of 
condolence; you have always commanded my 
admiration and love.” 

“Then I certainly can’t complain of my por¬ 
tion, dearest. Come, let us get out and forget 
all the morning’s excitement.” 

Grace agreed sweetly but inanimately, and 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


163 


wearily dragged herself up the stairs to get 
ready to go. 

4 ‘Put on something warm,” Clayton called 
up to her. “I think a spin in the country will 
do you good.” 

Grace slipped on her motor coat, but with 
none of her usual pleasant anticipation. Every 
one seemed to be reproaching her for something 
and her conscience chided constantly. 

‘ ‘ Is that the warmest wrap you have 1 1, asked 
Clayton, when Grace joined him. 

“Yes,” she answered, “and it is most ade¬ 
quate. ’ ’ 

“That may be, but I see how we will put in 
tomorrow morning. I want you to have a hand¬ 
some fur coat. Chinchilla would be becoming to 
you.” 

“I love chinchilla, but I do not need a fur coat 
of any description.” 

“You never need or want anything. Just 
feel the cold air,” he said, as he opened the 
door. “I wish you had your fur coat today.” 

“I am such a terrible expense to you,” said 
Grace, as they drove along, “that any addi¬ 
tional burden hurts me too much to make it 
enjoyable.” 

“You have never been an appreciable ex¬ 
pense,” Clayton replied. “The only ‘burden,’ 
if you wish to call it that, has been Marsden. 
His demands have sent me along pretty well; 
but you, for whom it would be a pleasure to 
spend money, refuse everything.” 

“It has been on my account, dear, that you 
have had to meet the demands of Marsden.” 

“That, of course, is true, but you have de¬ 
rived no benefit from it. That scoundrel has 


164 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


played his cards well. I don’t believe, at this 
moment, he has the remotest idea of consider¬ 
ing any divorce. He knows better than to kill 
the goose that lays such golden eggs.” 

“Am I the goose?” 

“No, I think I am. If I stay, I must keep 
on laying. If I go, he still has the nest egg to 
attract another goose.” 

“Oh! Edward, what must you think of me 
to say such a thing as that! Do you think me 
bereft of feeling as well as reason? 

4 4 Forgive me, dear, I am only thinking of him 
and his attitude. It is a disagreeable subject. 
I should not have started it.” 

44 But, Edward, you imply that I am—. Oh! 
what is it you really think of me ? ’ ’ 

4 4 The dearest woman in the world in the 
hands of a spoiler.” 

44 1 was unspoiled until you came. Aren’t 
we too lenient with ourselves and too severe 
on him?” 

4 4 He saw the opportunity too quickly and han¬ 
dled it too well for accident. He had probably 
been on the lookout for some such opening for 
a long time, but your devotion to him narrowed 
his chances. ’ ’ 

4 4 Oh! I cannot believe it. It is all so terrible 
and degrading.” 

44 Don’t you see, dear, there is no depth of 
degradation to which he would not drag you to 
get you to produce for him? Is there anything 
he has left undone? Is there any woman on 
earth who would ask further proof of a man’s 
absolute perfidy?” 

4 4 Did he offer me to you ? ’ ’ 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


165 


4 ‘ No, but he gave me every evidence that the 
bars were down.” 

“And did you make love to me then because 
you felt sure of an easy conquest ?” Grace 
asked, constrainedly. 

“No, you know that was not the reason, 
Grace; but why are you putting me on the de¬ 
fensive ? Am I assuming the form of the culprit 
in your eyes now!” 

“No, but I feel debased when you speak of 
the possibility of a man renting or selling me. 
I loved you and gave myself to you because of 
that great love, not because I had a complacent 
husband, and I prefer to stand before you the 
adulteress, rather than the woman licensed to 
love by her husband. ’ ’ 

“What mad talk is this, dearest?” 

“It is not mad talk! You did not buy my 
love, I gave it and Marsden had no part in the 
act, give him his due.” 

“Grace, no man can serve two masters. We 
have the highest authority for that statement. 
You are evidently torn by a conflict of emotions 
which I do not like to analyze. One thing is 
sure, no woman ever loved two men at the same 
time. You say you love me, but you do not 
despise the other, who is lost to all sense of 
honor and decency. It is obvious to every one 
but you. You persist in finding excuses for 
him, ‘ad nauseatum.’ What does this cham¬ 
pioning of him mean!” 

“I was not defending him just now, but my 
love for you. No matter what money trans¬ 
actions you have had with Mars, it does not 
make my love negotiable, but you don’t seem 
to see it.” 


166 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“Grace, I am afraid you are commencing to 
feel resentment at my having come into your 
life. You have said some dreadfully cutting 
things to me today.” 

“My feelings have been lacerated too, Ed¬ 
ward. ’’ 

“I am sorry for that. I had no desire to 
wound you.” 

“And I had no wish to hurt you.” 

“No, I suppose not, Grace, but we must be 
getting to a perilous state, when we can’t 
talk things over without making each other 
wretched . 9 9 

“If that is all my society affords you now, 
why go on ? ” 

“It is too late for us even to discuss turning 
back, but I hope we may go on without quarrel¬ 
ing. I should hate to look forward to a life of 
contention. 9 ’ 

“It is not too late to turn back if the pros¬ 
pect is not pleasing.” 

“What do you mean?” cried Edward, “you 
have nothing to turn back to . 91 

“You have, and it is not incumbent upon you 
to worry about me.” 

“I can only think you do wish to retrace 
your steps when you talk to me like this. If 
you do want to return to Marsden we don’t 
have to have a row. You have only to say the 
word and I will abdicate.” 

Grace made several attempts to answer, but 
was unable to get sufficient self-control to speak. 

Clayton, angered by her silence, turned the 
car around and ran her home. 

“If you don’t mind, I won’t come in for 
lunch,” he said, as he helped her out of the 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 167 

car. “ And this evening I am dining with Thurs¬ 
ton. ’ 9 

“All right,” replied Grace, turning her face 
away to keep Clayton from seeing the tears that 
were rushing to her eyes again. 

Grace told the maid that she did not wish 
any luncheon and hurried up to her room. 

Life was growing more and more intricate. 
How could she stand its complications if she 
and Edward were going to quarrel? If he 
could only see that love was the one justification 
of her life with him and not Marsden’s actions. 

What a horrible morning it had been. First 
the humiliation of Arthur ’s denouncement, then 
the misery of having Edward angry. There 
was so much bitter with the sweet now that life 
was becoming acrid. It had been unnatural 
from the beginning. Her childhood spent with 
soured old people had robbed her youth of all 
its laughter. Now love had come to her too 
late to bloom without blight. 

Clayton went to his Club for luncheon and 
remained there all afternoon. Talking with 
first one and then another of his acquaintances 
and playing several games of pool made the 
time pass very quickly. Later he went to his 
flat and had Wilson get out an old evening suit 
which he got into and told him he would be 
returning there for the night. He felt it would 
do Grace good to have an uninterrupted chance 
to think things over. 

In his moments of reflection he saw the harsh¬ 
ness of his criticism of her attitude towards 
Marsden. If one likes certain qualities in a 
woman they must take what goes with those 
qualities. No woman could be a sweet, cling- 


168 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


ing vine to one man and an avenging Nemesis 
to another. The point was to get her away from 
Marsden at the earliest possible moment and he 
would perhaps be easier to deal with at a dis¬ 
tance ; he could surely be no worse. With Grace 
out of Marsden’s clutches, they could afford to 
wait awhile. When the scoundrel saw he had 
lost her finally, he would take his price and 
quit. There was little danger of his coming to 
America, or being able to stay if he did. New 
York was beckoning and began to look nearer. 

He had made delightful friends in London, 
but the very best of these, the Thurstons, were 
booked for America on the 31st, three days 
off. Any ship after theirs would answer his 
purpose perfectly. One fine day Marsden would 
find the nest empty and the birds flown. It 
might be better to send Grace on a ship ahead 
of himself, under an assumed name. He would 
decide that later. The obvious thing now was 
to cheer Grace up. Love, he reasoned, may 
be as undying as poets would have us believe, 
but love in tears was not satisfying. There 
must be no more of them. Sunshine, nothing 
else from now until the ship sailed. Once out 
of London their sky would not be so overcast. 
The Grays, he was sure, would take Grace under 
their wing and he would see to it that there was 
no chance for scandal. 

In spite of the upsetting morning he had a 
very pleasant afternoon and evening. He was 
sorry he had not returned to the house but he 
felt his being able to think things out alone 
would be productive of good. The first thing 
he would do in the morning would be to get 
Grace the handsomest fur coat he could find 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


169 


in town. He fell asleep making a mental list 
of the things he would get to please her on the 
morrow. 

In spite of Grace’s night of wretchedness, 
she responded with all the sweetness of her 
nature to Clayton’s effort to start the day pleas¬ 
antly when he joined her at breakfast. 

When he suggested that they leave immedi¬ 
ately after their coffee on a hunt for fur coats 
and things, she acquiesced with such apparent 
delight, that he was convinced anew that pretty 
clothes were magic to banish lovely women’s 
tears, and permit one to bask in the sunshine 
of their smiles. 


XXI 



An aristocratic appearance was Marsden’s 
only inheritance from a noble ancestry. There 
was no trace of any good hereditary strain in 
his character, but it was hard for Grace, when 
she looked at him or visualized him, to think 
he was all bad. She could not credit him with 
the base criminality that Clayton did. Still 
sorry for him, she thought circumstances 
largely responsible for his wrong doing. In her 
self-incriminating moods, she assumed the role 
of chief offender. She hoped that when she 
went out of his life he would succeed and be 
well thought of. 

She was hoping for his welfare when he 
startled her by his sudden appearance. It was 
the middle of the week and she knew something 
serious must be the matter to bring him to town. 

“What has happened?” she asked, rising as 
he walked hurriedly over to her. 

“Never mind what has happened, but get me 
one hundred and fifty pounds quickly.” 

“I can’t, you know I can’t. Edward was 
furious when he found out about my check to 
you for two hundred pounds before. If there 
is anything dreadful, go to him yourself. He 
will help you, I know.” 

“Help me,” he laughed derisively, “he wants 
to help me disgrace myself till I become an out¬ 
cast and he be considered a hero in marrying 
my neglected and abused wife. That’s all the 

money I get goes for. Clayton seems to think 

170 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


171 


I can get a woman to brand herself for his bene¬ 
fit for a few pounds. I am desperate today and 
have got to have money, do you understand? 
Got to.” 

“Mars, I have very little money in the bank, 
and besides I have promised not to give you 
money again. I cannot, dare not, break my 
promise.” 

“You talk to me about not wanting to break 
a promise—you who have broken the promises 
—the supposedly sacred promises made at the 
altar.” 

“Stop, Mars. I will not listen to you. I will 
not take his money to give to you again and 
be made a liar and a cheat.’’ 

“You gave to him what belonged to me. Stop 
being such a hypocrite. I tell you I have got 
to have one hundred and fifty pounds and the 
sooner you get it for me the better.” 

“I cannot and will not,” gasped Grace, sink¬ 
ing into her chair. 

“Will you receipt for the fur coat?” the maid 
said entering the room with a huge box. 

“How do you expect to pay for fur coats 
out of a depleted bank account, ’ ’ asked Marsden 
as soon as the maid had left. 

“I don’t. Edward insisted upon giving it 
to me yesterday and made me take the cash to 
pay for it. My bill is all paid up there now.” 

“Grace,” said Marsden impressively, leaning 
over her, “I want to talk with you without these 
interruptions. Will you at least condescend 
to take a walk with me ? ’ ’ 

“Yes, if you wish it.” 

“Well, get your things on quickly, I have got 


172 HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 

to get back. It takes time even running my own 
motor.’’ 

Grace left the room, trembling from head to 
foot, but she could not refuse to talk to him. 
When she returned to the sitting room he had 
left. She walked down to the front door and 
looked out on the street; his car was gone. 
Evidently he had decided it was not worth 
while talking to her. She returned to her room 
exhausted and worn out, but fearful lest Ed¬ 
ward would return and think she did not care 
very much for her coat if he saw the box un¬ 
opened. She returned to the sitting room for 
it. The box was not there so she rang for the 
maid to bring it to her. 

“I have not touched it, Ma’am,” she said, 
“since I brought it in to you.” 

Grace was bewildered. Could it be possible 
Mars had taken it? Had he sunk so low as to 
take her clothes to pawn them? Before she 
could think things out she heard Edward com¬ 
ing in the house and his first words on enter¬ 
ing the room were concerning the arrival of 
her new fur coat. 

“Yes,” she answered, but seeing his look of 
expectancy she added, “but I returned it for 
some alterations. I should have it by tomor¬ 
row. ’ ’ 

She would get Marsden on the telephone and 
make him tell her where he had taken it. She 
would shield him this once. He must have been 
desperate and no one must know that he had 
turned thief. 

After luncheon she looked so badly that Clay¬ 
ton suggested their taking a ride, but she said 
she preferred going to her room. As soon as 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


173 


Clayton went out she rang for a messenger and 
wired Marsden to call her up at once and also 
put in a call for him. She had received no 
response from either by the time Clayton re¬ 
turned. He wanted to take her out to dinner, 
but she begged him to go alone, or hunt up some 
friends as she was not up to going out. 

“I am sorry you are not well and will not 
dream of going out but will stay here with you. ” 

“No, no, Edward, please go out. I will feel 
so much more free to rest.” 

“Very well,” he said, “I will telephone 
Thurston and see if he and Dariel will dine with 
me. I owe them some attention.” 

“Do,” said Grace, relieved. 

As soon as she was left alone, she frantically 
kept trying to get Marsden on the telephone; 
there was nothing she could do until she heard 
from him. He would not be coming to town 
until Saturday and what could she do all to¬ 
morrow to avoid the discussion of the coat. 
It was maddening. How much she wondered 
had Mars borrowed on it. If only she had not 
uttered the lie that had rushed to her lips to 
shield him. This suspense would kill her. 

As the time drew near for Clayton’s return 
she hurriedly got in bed and put out the lights 
so he would think her asleep. Long after she 
heard him come in and go to his room, she lay 
on her bed in mental anguish. 

Pleading a violent headache, she did not leave 
her room in the morning. 

Clayton wandered around the house discon¬ 
solately until time to go to a farewell luncheon 
given for Thurston at the Club. It was a jolly 
affair and when he left the merry-makers he 


174 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


was in high spirits. The afternoon was clear 
and sunny and he felt sure the thing for Grace 
was some fresh air. He would make her come 
for a ride. 

With this in mind, he got in his car and 
headed for Lucille’s to get her coat. It could 
not have needed much of anything done to it, 
as it looked marvelously well on her. 

Locating the saleswoman from whom they 
had bought it, he said, “Mrs. Marsden asked me 
to stop for her coat, the alterations are doubt¬ 
less completed by now.” 

“Alterations! Why that is very strange; 
Mr. Marsden brought the wrap back shortly 
after it was delivered to Madam and said he did 
not like it and would bring Mrs. Marsden in 
to select something else.” 

For a moment Clayton was too dumbfounded 
to speak. 

When he found his voice he said, “Indeed, I 
must have misunderstood Mrs. Marsden. It 
must be her new selection she wished me to get 
for her.” 

“It is not here, Sir. She must have found 
what she wanted at some other place.” 

“But I thought I saw Mrs. Marsden pay you 
cash for the coat.” 

“She did, Sir; but the money was refunded 
at Mr. Marsden’s request.” 

# “Then I have gotten Mrs. Marsden’s commis¬ 
sion all balled up,” he said. 

Clayton walked out of the shop a crushed 
man. He felt old from the blow his discovery 
had given him. 

Had any man ever made a greater fool of 
himself over a woman? Evidently Grace ex- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


175 


pected with a few more tears and protestations 
to smooth this out and turn some new trick for 
Marsden. How convenient those tears had 
been, an unfailing supply always on tap. 
Doubtless, the moment his back was turned 
they changed to smiles. This precious pair 
had worked him to the queen’s taste. Women 
in the drawing room and women in the street 
have much the same instincts. Some crooked 
stick was picked out as an object for worship 
and all the other men were a means to an end. 
He had served their purposes coming and going. 
As a husband he had been deceived, and as a 
lover again deluded. 

As he drove along he was filled with a loath¬ 
ing for the two and overwhelmed with a sense 
of utter loneliness. He must get away from 
it all, back to where he would have something 
to occupy his mind. He drove to Cook’s and 
asked for a stateroom on the first ship sailing 
for New York. 

“The boat train leaves at 7 a. m. tomorrow 
morning,” the clerk told him as he handed him 
his ticket. He rushed from there to the bank 
and attended to everything necessary for his 
departure in the morning; then he went to his 
flat. 

Wilson received his master’s orders to pack 
him up for America with no expression of 
surprise, but his mournful countenance made an 
appeal to Clayton, and with a desire to have 
some human attention, said, “I’ll take you 
along if you wish to go, Wilson. ’ ’ 

“Very good, Sir,” he replied with a beaming 
face, “and I hope, Sir, in your own country, 
you’ll be needing me more.” 


176 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I think I will,” Clayton said as he sat down 
at his desk to gather up his papers and letters. 
While he worked he struggled to make up his 
mind what to do in regard to Grace. One mo¬ 
ment he was filled with a desire to go to her 
and tell her what he thought of her deception 
and lies; the next he felt he never wanted to see 
her again. 

He finally decided that the only thing to do 
was to write her. His things had to be gotten 
away from there and Wilson could deliver the 
letter when he went after them. But, then if 
she knew this evening of his intention to sail 
she might seek an interview before morning. 
He would simply send Wilson to get his be¬ 
longings without any detailed account of his 
plans. He would post his letter to her. 


XXII 


Grace was thankful that Edward had had the 
luncheon to go to, and that he was evidently 
enjoying his afternoon with Thurston. She had 
given up hope of Marsden’s allowing her the 
opportunity to speak to him until he came to 
town the next day, but there was not much 
chance of any complications arising about the 
coat that night, so she dressed herself in one 
of Edward’s favorite gowns, longing to make 
up, in every way, for the deception she had 
been forced to practice. If only she could get 
out of this difficulty she would never again, 
under any circumstances, lie to Edward. 

She was disappointed when she realized Ed¬ 
ward was not coming home to dinner and a 
little hurt that he had not telephoned. Appe¬ 
tite had deserted her, hut she felt faint for food, 
so struggled through her dinner alone. If she 
could only be certain the men were going to 
make a night of it, she would take a taxi and 
have the pleasure of talking to Mrs. Thurs¬ 
ton and Dariel once more. She was going to 
miss Mrs. Thurston terribly. She had been 
more a mother to her than any one she had ever 
known. The bare possibility of Edward’s re¬ 
turning home deterred her and she decided to 
get her music out and practice until he did 
come. 

While she played, Wilson presented himself 
at the side door and asked to go to his master’s 

room to fetch some things. It was the cook’s 

177 


178 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


evening to stay in and she did not consider 
it necessary to notify Mrs. Marsden of Wilson’s 
call. So while Grace played and made resolu¬ 
tions, Wilson removed from the house all the 
visible traces of Clayton’s occupancy. 

Grace played on and on until her fingers 
refused to obey, but it was not until nearly two 
o’clock that she gave up waiting to welcome 
him downstairs. 

By daybreak she fell asleep, convinced that 
the party had kept up so late that Edward had 
decided to go to his flat and would come over 
for breakfast. At nine o’clock the servants 
were discussing Mr. Clayton’s sudden depar¬ 
ture. The cook recounting Wilson’s call, had 
sent the house maid up to his room to investi¬ 
gate. When at 9.30 no one had appeared for 
breakfast she decided that since the guest had 
departed, her madam wished to resume her 
custom of having breakfast in her room, so 
she fixed a tray and took it, with the mail, up 
to Mrs. Marsden. When she had placed the tray 
on the table by her side, she pushed up the cur¬ 
tains letting in the light, which always awak¬ 
ened her mistress immediately, and then left 
the room. 

Grace soon opened her eyes and was provoked 
to think that she must have overslept herself 
and again missed Clayton at breakfast. She 
was just about to ring to find out if he had come 
in for breakfast when her eyes fell on his letter 
to her. Incredulously she picked it up and 
read: 

“Dear Grace: 

‘ 4 When you receive this letter, I shall be on 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


179 


my way to America. I hope your loyalty and de¬ 
votion to your husband’s interest will compen¬ 
sate you for any loss you may feel at my drop¬ 
ping out. If you ever need anything for your¬ 
self, that is not to be just converted into money 
for your husband to squander, call on me. I 
will never fail you if you are alone and in 
need of help. 

1 ‘ Edward. ’ ’ 

No tears came to soften the cruelest blow of 
her life. She looked dry-eyed into space and 
the letter dropped from her nerveless fingers. 
Mechanically she walked to his room as if to 
get further proof of his departure. Shorn of 
all his personal effects, the room filled her with 
the chill and horror of a sepulchre, but she 
turned the key in the door and walked its floor 
for hours; her grief was too great to permit 
tears. 

She paced up and down, numb with despair, 
then gradually the future forced itself upon her 
notice, grim and foreboding. What was life 
without love? How had she dared to run the 
risk of losing it? Surely not to expect gratitude 
or appreciation from Mars. Then the realiza¬ 
tion that he would soon return spurred her 
to action. If she had to go on what was she 
to do? 

She went back to her room and dressed with 
feverish haste for the dreaded interview; and, 
for some unaccountable reason, recalling the 
days when she had looked forward to his com¬ 
ing with pleasure. Dressed, she went down¬ 
stairs to await his arrival. 

“Hello,” Marsden said almost cheerfully, 


180 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


when he breezed into the drawing room. 
“Where’s Clayton?” 

Grace did not reply, but handed him the 
letter. 

4 ‘What was the trouble?” he asked anxiously. 

“The coat. Why did you do it?” 

“I told you I had to have money. You re¬ 
fused me and left no other course.” 

“What did you do with it?” 

“Took it back to the shop and got the 
money. ’’ 

At once Grace saw the whole situation. Ed¬ 
ward was not to blame, only she herself and 
her inexcusable lie. Oh, if she had only told 
him the whole truth at once. Mars was a thief. 
It was not her fault that he was and Edward 
would never have blamed her for it. His whole 
manner after their unpleasantness had been so 
sweet and reassuring, so plainly desirous of 
her happiness at any cost and she had thrown 
it all away. The thought was madness. 

“Well, what are you going to do about it?” 
broke in Marsden, after a long pause. 

“I am going to work,” replied Grace quietly. 

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Marsden. “Who are 
you going to work?” 

“Not you, or for you,” replied Grace. 
“Nothing honest appeals to you. Yours is a 
life of infamy.” 

“Be careful what you say.” 

“Oh, no, it doesn’t matter much what I say, 
it is what I do from now on that will count,” 
she replied quietly. 

“Cheer up, old girl,” said he, coming over 
and patting her on the shoulder. “Things are 
never as bad as they seem at first. We will 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


181 


land another easy one soon and be going again. ” 
It was true! Edward was always right and 
this beast, calling himself her husband, this man 
for whose protection she had lost everything 
dear in life, expected her to offer herself for 
sale like a woman of the street, to solicit sup¬ 
port for himself and incidentally herself. Ed¬ 
ward had known it, but in her blindness she had 
refused to see it or believe him. 

“Get out of my sight,” she cried, “I never 
want to see your face again. Until I leave this 
house its doors will be closed to you. You fill 
pie with loathing and contempt. ’ ’ 

“It will not be necessary for you to make 
your feelings for me any more clearly under¬ 
stood. After this w T eek-end I shall not come up 
to London for its gayety.” 

After seeing Marsden, the outlook did not 
seem so black. All she would have to do was 
to cable Edward she was coming to him. What 
did she care for divorce or anything in the world 
but to be with the man she loved? He had 
thought her a party to the coat transaction but 
she could soon convince him that was not the 
case. After all, nothing had changed. Edward 
had gone off but she could follow and now Mars¬ 
den would not be a factor in their lives. She 
had seen for herself this time what he was. 

She got out the papers and looked up the 
ships’ sailings. She was trying to write out a 
comprehensive cable to Edward, when Marsden 
returned. 

“I just ran into Sullivan, who went to the 
ship to see the Thurston’s off, and he tells me 
he saw Clayton and Wilson getting aboard, too. 
Clayton, he said, had been giving Dariel a ter- 


182 


HIS MOBTGAGED WIFE 


rible rush and he supposed at the last moment 
could not see her go. I think, myself, Grace, 
his fury and departure were pretty well timed. 
In view of this, does what you said to me an 
hour ago stand ? ’’ 

‘ 4 Absolutely ,’ 1 she said firmly, but every ves¬ 
tige of color had left her face and she felt as 
if the floor were slipping from under her. 

“As you wish,” Marsden said, as he turned 
and left the house. 

Grief stricken, Grace tore into bits the cable 
she had been writing, realizing the little scraps 
of paper were the debris of hope. 


XXIII 


In the chagrin and bitterness of his leave- 
taking, it was not until Clayton was on the train 
that he examined his tickets carefully and saw 
that his ship was the Aquitania. Could any¬ 
thing have been more propitious? The life with 
Grace should be made to fade away like a bad 
dream and to assist its departure, he would de¬ 
vote himself to Dariel to the limit. She was 
bright and clever and, as a consolation friend, 
left nothing to be desired. 

It was true she had looked at him that night 
in the hall as though she was taking him pretty 
seriously, but a little of that sort of thing did 
women good, wore off the sharp corners of con¬ 
ceit and arrogance and was really a service to 
the men they actually married. His compli¬ 
ments to the sex in general. He would assist 
in their education. He would be a gay Lothario 
and forget. 

Arrived on board, Clayton merely glanced at 
his cabin and left Wilson in charge. He pro¬ 
ceeded to the upper deck, found a steward and 
procured a chair which he asked to be placed 
aft. Seating himself, he took out a cigar and 
lighted it. Ideally placed for a delightful medi¬ 
tation, he mused derisively, trying to concen¬ 
trate his thoughts on his business. 

He did not want to go over the harrowing 
experiences of the last few months abroad. 
They were to be added to the other chapters 

of his disillusion; but, as he sat there watching 

183 


184 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


England’s landmarks fade from his vision, the 
scenes enacted there forced themselves upon 
him as the distance widened between him and 
her shores—he was saddened. Softened by his 
own unhappiness, he felt a wave of pity for 
Grace. He rose impulsively to send her a wire¬ 
less but before he reached the operator he real¬ 
ized the hopelessness of trying to send a mes¬ 
sage that would rob his going of the sting. He 
could not go back and more mere words were 
useless. What an emotional ass he was turn¬ 
ing into. He turned abruptly to face Dariel 
and her brother. 

“Where on earth did you come from!” she 
exclaimed, the first to recover from the unex¬ 
pected meeting. 

“Sh—. I am a messenger from Mars,” re¬ 
plied Clayton. 

“Not fallen from Grace, I hope,” retorted 
Dariel. 

“No,” laughed Clayton. “The fact is, I was 
suddenly forced to return to America and 
nearly broke my neck to catch this ship in order 
to be with you.” 

“I am most awfully glad you did catch this 
boat and apparently unharmed. Come and 
speak to mother. She will be so surprised. ’ ’ 

“By Jove, it is topping having you along with 
us, Clayton,” added Thurston. “It will make 
no end of difference in the pleasure of the trip. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Thurston expressed her delight at the 
addition of Clayton to their party and he was 
flattered and pleased at the genuine cordiality 
of their welcome. 

“Come along and walk with us a little while, 
Mr. Clayton. Horace and I were just starting 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


185 


to stretch our legs after that cramped train 
journey.” 

The three walked around the deck several 
times, then Horace dropped out and sat down 
by his mother. 

“When are you returning to England?” 
asked Dariel. 

“When you do,” gallantly replied Clayton. 

1 ‘ I believe you are a gay deceiver. Once you 
asked me how I kept from falling in love with 
you. If you want to know, it is because you 
make too many pretty speeches to be sincere.” 

“Has that question of mine been rankling 
ever since, Miss Dariel? I was so repentant of 
that conceited remark I did penance by staying 
away from you for quite a while. May I have 
absolution now please?” 

“You are absolved, dear man, if your con¬ 
trition is real. Still you haven’t answered my 
question. When do you return to England, 
really?” 

“I have no intention of going back there. 
The reason for my stay no longer exists. I 
have had a delightful holiday and now it is 
over.” 

“And Grace, is her infatuation for you over, 
too?” 

“You are wrong there. There was no infatu¬ 
ation. Grace and her husband understood each 
other thoroughly. They are absolutely united 
in their interests and their singleness of pur¬ 
pose, precluding any outsider being more than 
an incident. ’ ’ 

“Your tone and your words sound bitter. I 
am sorry to have brought up the subject.” 

Clayton was annoyed at himself for having 


186 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


displayed so much feeling and was grateful for 
the interruption of the gong which reminded 
them of the necessity to dress for dinner and 
brought their conversation to an end. 

Clayton had forgotten all about his seat in 
the dining saloon but found Thurston had ar¬ 
ranged for him to sit with them. Dariel looked 
especially fresh and blooming in her decollete 
evening gown. Clayton’s mind had been so en¬ 
grossed with Grace that he had not noticed 
Dariel with particular interest before. She was 
assuredly a most unusually attractive girl, mag¬ 
nificently alive, and in superb physical condi¬ 
tion. Her dressing was quiet and really plain, 
but it did not require much imagination to pic¬ 
ture the result after some Fifth Avenue shop 
had fitted her out. Clayton had acquired a 
smattering on dress and added to it recently 
while shopping with Grace. It was an expen¬ 
sive but fascinating pastime. 

“I have not seen much of you today, Clay¬ 
ton,” Thurston said as he took his seat, “but 
after dinner we will go to the smoking room and 
have a chat.” 

“Oh, no, you won’t,” broke in Dariel. “Mr. 
Clayton is going to take me up to watch the 
dancing, aren’t you?” 

“Smoking—dancing,” ruminated Clayton 
aloud, “of two evils, choose the lesser. Smok¬ 
ing is a pernicious habit, Thurston. In order to 
discourage it, I believe I should go to the dance. 
Let us stroll in the early morning before the 
ladies are up.” 

“Done,” agreed Thurston. “Let’s call it 
seven o’clock.” 

Dariel and Clayton watched those dancing 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


187 


some little time in silence. Finally Clayton 
said, “I am sorry I am not much good at these 
modern dances.” 

“Neither am I,” replied Dariel. “They are 
interesting to watch but I don’t believe I should 
care for them, that is, not promiscuously.” 

“Well, so long as neither of us are keen about 
dancing, let’s sit on deck.” 

It was a beautiful moonlight night, mild, with 
wind abaft, giving the effect of almost stillness 
except for the hissing of the water against the 
sides of the ship. They found their chairs and 
rugs and after Dariel had been tucked in with 
great care and solicitude, she said, “Mr. Clay¬ 
ton, you are a most interesting and, I am afraid, 
a most dangerous man, yet in spite of my fears 
I am hovering around like the proverbial moth. ’ ’ 

i i What subtle flattery. I can think of nothing 
more calculated to make the bosom of the vil¬ 
lage youth swell with pride than to be called 
‘ dangerous.’ With what special brand of peril 
am I labeled?” 

“To begin with, you are a woman’s man. 
You can no more live without them than you 
could without air. Men may occupy your busi¬ 
ness moments but all your relaxation must in¬ 
clude women, or woman, I am not sure which. ’ ’ 

“And does that make me unsafe?” 

“Yes, if you prefer the plural to the sing¬ 
ular. ’ ’ 

“You don’t believe there is safety in num¬ 
bers?” 

“Not for the numbers.” 

“You could never be just a number.” 

“But we were not discussing me.” 

“True, and you are quite right about my 


188 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


admiration for the fair sex, but I enjoy domestic¬ 
ity and the atmosphere of a home and I only 
want the undivided attention of one woman. I 
really don’t ask to be adored, only liked for 
myself alone. I have seen so much of love for 
revenue only, in my life that I am super sensi¬ 
tive on that point. ’ ’ 

“Does it occur to you that what you describe 
as your requirements would most properly fit 
a good housekeeper, not a wife! Most women 
want to be made love to, told charming things 
about themselves, which if not true are just as 
delightful as if they were. To be looked at 
as a hungry dog looks at a bone, to feel them¬ 
selves desired, demanded, kidnapped, if you 
understand, that is what women regard as love 
and what leads them to unutterable things. I 
suppose it doesn’t last and few realize it, but 
we all dream about it and long for it.” 

“I see, the prehistoric maiden demands a 
cave man. I could love a woman, but I could 
never learn to maul her. Do you mind if I 
smoke! ’ ’ 

“Not at all. I should like to have one with 
you.” 

They smoked their cigarettes in silence, each 
wondering what the other’s thoughts were. 


XXIV 


Next morning the weather was bad. Clayton 
and Thurston tried their early walk, but the 
sea was rough, a heavy spray flying and the 
starboard deck most unpleasant. On the lee 
side, the list of the ship, with its rolling and 
pitching made walking almost equally undesir¬ 
able. The decks were deserted. They found 
the smoking room almost the same. Thurston 
ordered whiskey and soda in which Clayton de¬ 
clined to join. After a few moments Thurston 
rose, saying, “By Jove, Clayton, I must bolt for 
my cabin or I’ll be sick.” 

“I was afraid of that drink on an empty 
stomach unless you are a wonderful sailor,” 
replied Clayton. 

Left alone, Clayton wandered about feeling 
far from his usual self. He was not sick but 
felt wretched. The longer he walked the less 
he felt like breakfast; in fact, the idea of food 
was repulsive. This western trip was far from 
what its predecessor had been. The wind was 
evidently increasing too, as the ship was pitch¬ 
ing more violently. He went to his stateroom 
and stretched out on his bed. In a few moments 
he felt much better and decided to stay there. 

At about eleven he rang for Wilson who came 
with an alarmed “Are you ill, Sir?” 

“No,” replied Clayton, “and I don’t intend 
to be, so I shall stay right here until this old 
tub stops her nonsense.” 

All that day he remained there perfectly con- 

189 


190 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


tent to let well enough alone. The opportunity 
for reflection was, he thought, most timely. 
What a wonderful diagnostician Dariel was. 
She knew him even better than he did himself. 
He was just what she described. Club or hotel 
life did not appeal to him and a woman’s touch 
was what his whole nature demanded. He could 
stand the delays of pursuit, but the inactivity 
connected with having no goal in sight was un¬ 
endurable. He had always heard and believed 
that wives generally were true but never mis¬ 
tresses. His experience with wives hardly bore 
this out; what would it be with a mistress? 

No, he must have a wife; and, after all, the 
point was in having one who would love him. 
Just so her appearance was most creditable and 
her social qualifications above criticism, the 
rest mattered little. It might be in ordinary 
matters “more blessed to give than to receive,” 
but for a change, in love, he preferred to be 
receiver. He had tried being giver and found it 
wanting. 

Back and forth his mind went over this prob¬ 
lem, always to the same result. If he had his 
choice, Grace’s type represented everything he 
loved. He had never seen any one who appealed 
to him so strongly. Her apparent blind willing¬ 
ness to follow him to perdition itself satisfied 
every demand of his vanity. There must have 
been something in it, he reasoned. No actress 
could be so consummate and so unfailing, but 
Marsden had married her; and, while she had 
probably loved himself, her exaggerated idea 
of duty to one who had had any claim on her 
made her vacillate in a way that maddened and 
compelled him to abdicate. Here was this 
splendid specimen, playing moth, as she had so 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


191 


aptly said. It was probably true that she had 
never loved and whoever came first stood a 
good chance to remain the only one. She had 
shown him that night in the hall that his arms 
would not have been rejected. Well, here he 
was, true to her analysis, barely out of the fry¬ 
ing pan and gazing wistfully at the fire. 

The next day showed no change in weather 
until late in the afternoon when the sun came 
out, and although the sea was rough, Clayton 
decided to risk the deck. By following his plan 
he had not really been ill a moment and had, 
after the two days’ study, decided to take the 
first opportunity to drive hard at Dariel before 
reaching New York and decide from her recep¬ 
tion of his advances whether he wanted her or 
not. There would never be an opportunity such 
as the ship offered. The romance of it all if 
once lost, would result in a friendship only, 
from which no flame could well be kindled. 

He found a few chair occupants, some with 
trays of food beside them, more or less un¬ 
touched, and all looking unhappy. He settled 
down in his steamer chair with the book he had 
brought, to await some member of the Thurston 
family. Just as the sun was setting, Dariel 
came along alone. 

Clayton spoke first, ‘ 4 Where have you been 
these two days!” 

4 4 Oh, mother and brother have been dread¬ 
fully ill. Between the two I have not been able 
to come out at all. I even had my meals sent 
in so as not to leave mother. The doctor said 
we must watch her closely on account of her 
heart. Hasn’t the weather been awful?” 


192 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


4 ‘It certainly has,” replied Clayton with feel¬ 
ing. “And you were not ill at all?” 

“Not for a moment. I should have loved it 
if I had been alone. ’’ 

Clayton made a note that their honeymoon, 
if it ever came, would not include an ocean trip. 

“Well, it has been terribly lonesome and I 
believe I enjoy good weather and moonlight 
better. How is your mother now?” 

“Much improved. The stewardess says that 
in another hour we shall probably be in per¬ 
fectly smooth water.” 

“Then I may look for you at dinner?” 

“Yes, but I don’t believe Horace will appear 
before tomorrow. I just came up for a breath 
of air and must go right back. Good-bye.” 


After dinner Dariel and Clayton went out on 
deck. It was quite cold and Clayton adjusted 
her heavy cape with extreme care. 

“How lovely,” said Dariel. “I believe this is 
the first time I have ever permitted a man to 
do anything like that for me. I suppose you 
think I am a born Amazon, but really I am not. 
I have seen so much mock love about, that I’ve 
agreed with the woman who said, ‘The more 
she saw of men the better she liked dogs.’ ” 

“You are quite fond of dogs?” asked Clay¬ 
ton, when they were seated in their chairs. 

“Don’t be silly, I like men, every woman 
does, but a man must first show me that he is 
one. No mere male could paw his way into my 
heart.” 

“A real man would not be good at that. He 
would rather expect the woman to do the pet- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


193 


ting—to mother him if you will. Whether you 
think me one or not—that is what would appeal 
to me. I Ve never heard a sentiment that struck 
me so forcibly as the toast on ‘woman, our arms 
in their defense, their arms our recompense/ 
After a man battles with the world all day, he 
does not want to come home to battle with a 
woman.’ ’ 

4 ‘Edward Clayton, you are the most wonder* 
ful man I ever knew. You talk so convincingly 
and appealingly that you would make any lis¬ 
tener believe black was white. No wonder you 
have been such a success in life. ? ? 

“Success—did you say? I have just been 
counting up my failures. I have made money, 
yes, but any fool can do that in a greater or less 
degree. Opportunity does some of it and Provi¬ 
dence the rest. To some He gives and from 
some He takes away. No man is in himself a 
success/ ’ 

He did not look at Dariel while speaking, nor 
for a moment after; but, realizing the silence, 
he turned to her and again saw that light in her 
eyes which had oppressed him once before. He 
was free now and it looked as if this girl loved 
him. He must be certain, however; he had just 
been warned about the paws. 

“Don’t you think I am right?” he asked, 
leaning close to her face. 

‘ ‘ I think you are the noblest character I have 
ever known,” she replied. 

“Could you mother a character like that?” 
leaning a little closer. 

“I could, old dear,” she said, putting her 
hand on his arm. “You are in need of a little 
mothering.” 


194 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“And love, too?” he added, taking her hand 
in both of his. 

“But not mine, just now,” she faltered, as 
she gently withdrew her hand from his. ‘ ‘ Don ’t 
try to make yourself fall in love with some one 
just for consolation. I don’t know what has 
taken you away from Grace, but it was not I.” 

“No, it was not you, Dariel; but, admitting 
that I did love Grace, does that fact, now that 
it is all over, prevent your caring for me?” 

“No, but the three of us must be sure that 
it is all over before I will allow myself to care 
for you. No one could be happy at the expense 
of another’s unhappiness.” 

“What a noble girl you are, Dariel. You 
must think a little something of me to talk to 
me as you have. What w T ould you like me to 
do?” 

“Wait awhile and see if you and Grace can 
adjust your lives contentedly apart. If you find 
you can—take another holiday and come to 
Canada. ’ ’ 

Before Clayton could answer, Dariel sprang 
up saying, “Good-night, I must not stay away 
from mother any longer.” 

Clayton rose and took her hand in silence 
with a thousand things he wanted to say left 
unsaid. What a girl she was. Why had he not 
fallen in love with her instead of with Grace, 
and every one would have been spared all the 
wretchedness and unhappiness. Could he really 
adjust his life contentedly apart from Grace? 
He had loved her as he could love no other 
woman. Yet, what was this feeling he had for 
Dariel? He had wildly planned to have a mad 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


195 


flirtation on this trip, but when he was with 
her he had no such thoughts. What a mess of 
complications and contradictions his whole life 
was. 


XXV 


It was evident to Clayton that Dariel wished 
to avoid any more tete-a-tete with him. She 
was as cordial and sweet as ever but her ex¬ 
treme care to keep with either her mother or 
brother was apparent. 

Thurston had met two other Army men on 
board, Captain Desmond, returning to Canada 
and Captain Andrews, on his way to Vancouver, 
who were constantly joining their party now. 

“What do you say to a game of bridge?” 
asked Desmond as he and Andrews halted in 
front of Dariel’s chair. 

“A good idea, what?” added Andrews. 

“Yes, let us have a game,” agreed Dariel. 
“We can have a little tournament among our¬ 
selves and play every day until we reach New 
York.” 

“With prizes and all that sort of thing, 
what?” interpolated Andrews. 

“A first prize and a booby prize,” Dariel 
stipulated. 

“And, Mother, so long as you are not going 
to be one of the competitors you can give the 
prizes. There are topping things to be had 
from the barber.” 

“Very well, but I wish I knew who the win¬ 
ners were going to be, before I make my selec¬ 
tions.” 

“I am sure to fall heir to the booby prize, 
Mrs. Thurston,” Clayton said, “choose some¬ 
thing appropriate for me.” 

196 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


197 


“A book on bridge would be a subtle 
booby, what?” Andrews said in an aside to Mrs. 
Thurston. 

Dariel gave her mother’s rug a few unneces¬ 
sary tucks and they all went in to play. A table 
and cards were procured and they cut first to 
see who would play, then for partners. Des¬ 
mond was high man, so he had to be the on¬ 
looker for the first rubber. Clayton drew Dariel 
for his partner as he hoped he would. He was 
not the indifferent player he insisted upon call¬ 
ing himself, and Dariel was really a very good 
one and very keen. They played well together 
and had some interesting hands but luck was 
against them. 

i1 By Jove, that was top hole,” Thurston cried 
at the close of the rubber. He had been dummy 
in the final hand and had been watching with 
great interest the deciding game. “You played 
that in a masterly fashion, Andrews.” 

“Oh, I’m some player my lad, some player, 
what?” 

“We did not make much of a score together,” 
Dariel remarked to Clayton, “but it was not our 
fault. Fate was against us, we did all we could 
with the cards dealt us.” 

“I’m awfully sorry, Miss Dariel, we’ll have 
our inning yet. ’ ’ 

“I wonder,” Dariel replied whimsically. 

Clayton dropped out for the next rubber and 
Desmond joined the players. 

“Cut for partners,” said Andrews, eager to 
start at once. “By Jove, as we are Thurston, 
let’s give them a terrific beating, what?” 

“I’m not contemplating playing a losing 
game with Miss Thurston,” Desmond said, tak- 


198 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


ing his seat opposite her. “I expect the god 
of chance to smile on us from the very start.” 

Dariel looked up at Desmond quizzically. In 
spite of his drawl and slow movements, he was 
as keen and quick as a flash, and she wondered 
if he too could have thought her words to Clay¬ 
ton, a few moments ago in regard to the playing 
of their hands, was significant, and was having 
a little fun at her expense. 

“My admiration is always for the good 
loser,’’ she said emphatically. 

“My word!” said Andrews, sitting up with 
a jerk. “I’ve never crowed a feather’s weight, 
what?” 

“I didn’t mean to imply you had, old dear,” 
laughed Dariel. “I have no idea whatever 
brought forth such a remark.” 

“Two diamonds,” said Thurston by way of 
calling every one to order, and the cards were 
given undivided attention. It was a long hard- 
fought battle, won in the end by Dariel and Des¬ 
mond, but he made no comment upon their 
victory. 

“Now, if I had not finessed the queen of 
hearts, Thurston,” Andrews said, “it would be 
a different story, what?” 

“Of course, it would,” Desmond ragged, “but 
that’s the trouble. You have finessed the dear 
lady for so long that you are now an old 
grouchy bachelor. ’ ’ 

“My word, well, I’d rather have it that way 
than be the knave all the ladies had finessed, 
what?” 

“Andrews trumped your trick, Desmond,” 
laughed Clayton. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


199 


“He did, by Jove!” admitted Desmond, join¬ 
ing in the laugh on himself. 

“I’ve got to have my tea and some fresh air 
before I can sit in another game,” Dariel said. 

“I should like to move about too before play¬ 
ing again,” said Clayton rising. 

“No more cards this afternoon, what!” asked 
Andrews disappointedly. 

“It looks that way,” replied Thurston, “but 
we can have a rubber or two after dinner. Let’s 
all have a stroll now and join the Mater for 
tea. ’ ’ 

“Right-O,” chimed Desmond and Andrews, 
and the three men strolled out behind Dariel 
and Clayton. 

After twice around the deck they stopped to 
have their tea with Mrs. Thurston. She began 
at once putting to Desmond all the questions 
about Canada which she had been thinking up 
during the afternoon. Meeting a man who had 
spent two years in the post they were bound for, 
had been a great pleasure to Mrs. Thurston 
and she found him a most satisfactory person to 
question. 

“You will be very contented in Canada, 
Thurston, I am certain. Having your mother 
and sister with you will make all the differ¬ 
ence,” Desmond said, after he had been called 
to testify to everything about the place from 
its atmosphere to its political temperature. 
“It’s the poor lonely bachelor without any fam¬ 
ily that finds it a business to carry on.” 

“And knaves, what!” suggested Andrews. 

“And knaves,” repeated Desmond. “They 
have the worst time of the lot. The poor beg¬ 
gars ’ Sundays are tragic. That is the day that 


200 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


all good people seem to shut their doors on the 
poor devils.” 

“You will have to spend your Sundays with 
us, Captain Desmond/ ’ Mrs. Thurston said. 
“Our doors are never closed to our friends/’ 

“Then don’t be surprised, dear lady, to find 
a supplicating sinner on your doorstep every 
Sabbath. ’ ’ 

Clayton began to wish Canada was his desti¬ 
nation. He wondered how he would get through 
his Sundays in New York. There was not a 
household there he could make himself at home 
in. How utterly alone he really was. He be¬ 
came unconscious of the conversation going on 
around him and, looking out into space, gave 
vent to his own thoughts. 

Dariel noticed Clayton’s withdrawal and 
watched him concernedly, shocked at his ex¬ 
pression. His face in repose showed the traces 
of intense suffering. Desmond’s quick eye 
noted the look of wistfulness on Dariel’s face 
as she regarded Clayton and he was glad on the 
whole that they were dropping the American 
at New York. 


XXVI 


Since Marsden and Clayton had gone out of 
her life, Grace had spent feverish days of plan¬ 
ning and arranging her affairs so she could 
leave England and all its associations. She 
wanted to return to America and go hack to 
Philadelphia where she had spent her child¬ 
hood, not to seek any of her old friends but to 
be in the town of her birth and where she could 
feel at home, hoping among the old familiar 
scenes to regain some of her lost illusions and 
ideals, and lead a life that would in some way 
make amends for her sins. 

Even though she had come to see Mars’ char¬ 
acter in all its hideousness, she did not exoner¬ 
ate herself for the part she had drifted into. 
Christ had forgiven the woman taken in adul¬ 
tery and told her to go and sin no more. With 
God’s help she would sin no more and by His 
mercy she would hope for salvation. She tried 
to put away the thoughts which kept coming in 
extenuation of her actions. 

Hers had not been a love match, but she had 
always been fond of Mars and, in a way, she 
was yet. She had mothered him so long as he 
had permitted it. Surely she had paid fairly 
well for the folly of her girlish capitulation to 
his suit. For years she had given him her un¬ 
divided attention in spite of his churlish ac¬ 
ceptance of it. Was this devotion ever appre¬ 
ciated; or, was it, from the very first, the 
question of her money and at what time in their 


202 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


married life had he begun to regard her as a 
future decoy with which to replenish the dwin¬ 
dling cash supply! The question was horrible 
and yet inescapable. Never could she have been 
brought to really believe it. Even Edward had 
failed to absolutely convince her of Mars’ per¬ 
fidy and not until her last interview with Mars 
had she completely realized that his sole idea 
was to commercialize her. 

Nowhere had she read in her Bible that di¬ 
vorce was permitted to a woman under any cir¬ 
cumstances. Only to a man had the Master 
suggested it in the case of an unfaithful wife. 
True, she had read in Corinthians that if an un¬ 
believing wife or husband departed from the 
believing one, he should be allowed to go and 
the believer was not under bondage in such 
cases, or, in other words, was free. This was 
clearly a permission for divorce on the grounds 
of desertion, but Mars had not deserted her, 
although his unbelief in all things Scriptural 
had always been one of her greatest trials. 

No, she had sinned enough. She would not 
further violate God’s laws by suing for divorce 
to which she could only be entitled by a deser¬ 
tion which she, not he, was now creating. To 
live further with a man who loved her merely 
as his chattel to mortgage was impossible. 
That was ended. Love had come into her life 
to escape her almost before she had tasted it. 
No doubt, this lie of hers, which had separated 
her from Edward, was intended by a just Provi¬ 
dence to create just that end and prevent her 
from going on in a career by which happiness 
was to be bought at perhaps the cost of the here¬ 
after. For that she was trying to be grateful. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


203 


Surely in a future life she and Edward would 
not be separated although they could neither be 
married or given in marriage. She knew that 
Edward had the most profound respect for all 
things sacred. 

But now she could never have his help in 
studying out the hidden things of God, which 
had appealed so strongly to her before this 
burst of passion, and eclipsed all other senti¬ 
ments. Wjhat a groveling creature she had 
been. This was a proper punishment for for¬ 
getting God and His ways. In mercy, not anger, 
He had separated her from her loved one and 
done it by her own mouth so she could never 
attribute it to another cause. Surely His ways 
were those of righteousness and peace. 

Peace, what a word that was. “The peace 
that passeth understanding.” That should be 
her constant prayer. Passion was a stormy sea. 
Its shores were lined with many wrecks be¬ 
sides hers. She wondered if any bark ever 
safely navigated it. Jealousies, hatred, re¬ 
venge, murder, suicide: those were a few of the 
rocks that infested it. Who escaped—surely 
very few. Peace was never found on its 
troubled waters. Those who drifted into the 
dangers of that sea were the inactive ones. 

Edward had told her that in all his busy life 
he had never really known the first principles 
of love until he met her. That was during his 
first period of inactivity. Had she. been a 
woman of occupation, even in sports, like Dar- 
iel, she was sure she would not have so easily 
been carried away. 

In Philadelphia she would devote her entire 
energies to the perfection of some accomplish- 


204 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


ment. She could never hope to forget Edward, 
but even though he were married, she would 
pray for him. 

She decided to sell her furniture and dispose 
of the remaining two years of her lease. Both 
had been purchased with her own money and 
she thanked God that this little had been left 
her with which to start life anew. The scarcity 
of houses in town was acute, which had been 
most fortunate for her as the agent had been 
able to let her lease and sell the furniture to an 
attache of the Chilian legation who had just 
been sent to England, and to procure for her 
an arrangement of half yearly payments in ad¬ 
vance. This would tide her over the time it 
would take to become self-supporting. 

When she took stock of her little accomplish¬ 
ments she realized there was hard work ahead 
of her to bring them up to a point where they 
could command a salary, but work would be her 
salvation. She loved Clayton with all her heart 
and soul and would to her dying day, but she 
never expected to see him again. She hoped 
that if Dariel loved him and they did marry, 
he would find happiness. She would be as much 
lost to them in Philadelphia as if she were in 
England. 

When all the details of the house were com¬ 
pleted she went to the bank and interviewed 
the manager, arranging to have them send her 
the payments that would be made to them 
through their Philadelphia connection. No ad¬ 
dress was to be given any one, but letters could 
be forwarded. She made it plain that she 
wished no one to know of her whereabouts. 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


205 


She would let their Philadelphia bank know her 
address when she was settled there. 

The next morning she turned her house over 
to the lessee, two days before her ship sailed 
from Liverpool. She could not stand the 
thought of spending them in London in inac¬ 
tion, now that everything was attended to. She 
must be on her way, so she determined to start 
immediately for Liverpool. When her luggage 
was piled on the taxi, she hastily entered and 
drove away without looking back. All her emo¬ 
tions had spent themselves, she was bereft of 
all feeling except the desire to go. 

Grace took her seat in the train some time 
before it started. Even the short waiting 
seemed endless, she felt she would go mad if 
they did not start. Finally the guard’s whistle 
blew, the door of the carriage was shut and 
they were off. She looked out of the window; 
it was a typical London day, foggy, dull, damp 
and gray. Involuntarily she shivered, but 
with the motion of the train her tension les¬ 
sened, she closed her eyes and sent up a prayer 
for forgetfulness. Soon her whole body re¬ 
laxed and she slept from sheer nervous ex¬ 
haustion. 

When she arrived in Liverpool she was 
much calmer and got through the interval of 
waiting there better than she could have hoped 
to do in London. It seemed strange to board 
the big Cunarder all alone and not to have one, 
in all the crowds seeing their friends off, to 
wish her bon voyage. 

Grace made no acquaintances during the 
crossing but many wondered who the attractive 
woman was, always sitting alone watching the 


206 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


horizon. There was something in her manner, 
to even the most casual observer, that kept them 
from trying to break in upon her reveries. They 
thought her evidently a woman suffering from 
some great sorrow. She was not in mourning 
but then it was possible she had been obliged 
to sail before having had time to drape herself 
in the crepe that should be the appropriate cos¬ 
tume for such apparent grief. Death is sup¬ 
posed to cut the lines of anguish upon our 
countenances, but, it is, as a rule, our own ac¬ 
tions that make the furrows there. 

The trip was uneventful. Grace had had no 
desire to make acquaintances and no one had 
intruded. The ship was held at quarantine all 
night, arriving at her dock at ten in the morn¬ 
ing. To pass the customs was a simple matter 
for a British subject on tour—as such she de¬ 
cided it was proper to represent herself. She 
was still Mars’ wife, she must not forget that 
under any circumstances and thus would be 
only a visitor in America. The length of that 
visit, time alone would determine. She hoped 
it might never end. There was nothing in 
England for her. 

Driving to the station, she thought of Arthur 
Gray. He had written her a lovely letter from 
his steamer telling her how sorry he was for 
his hasty judgment and how much his sympa¬ 
thies had been aroused by Edward’s story of 
her misfortune. She had not replied but it had 
left a warmth in her heart. She would like to 
call him up and say a word to him. Surely 
there could be no reason why not, and he might 
perhaps, say a word or two of Edward. 

She knew there was no danger of any ex- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 207 

planation by Edward of his departure from 
England that would reflect on her. Whatever 
Edward said to Gray on the subject would 
surely be kind and well thought out. 

He could always be relied on for that. Was 
there ever a more perfect type of that much 
abused word “ gentleman ”? 

When she reached the Pennsylvania Station 
she had a half hour to wait before the next 
Philadelphia express so she called up his office. 
Gray’s surprise at hearing her voice was not so 
great as she expected. 

His first question was, ‘‘ Have you and Mars- 
den separated?” 

“Yes, but I can’t talk about that over the 
’phone. I am on my way to Philadelphia and 
I don’t want a living soul anywhere to know 
my address there except yourself. If you will 
promise never to give it to any one, I will 
write it to you as soon as I am settled, and 
when you come over there sometime on one of 
your frequent business trips, you can come to 
see me and we will talk everything over. Will 
you promise?” 

“Why, of course, I will. I am glad you had 
the moral courage to leave the hound, Grace. 
Never allow yourself to be cajoled into going 
back. You are too good a woman to be mixed 
up with a cur like that. You must divorce him 
just as soon as you acquire a proper residence, 
which will not be for two years in Philadelphia, 
but that will soon pass; and, in Pennsylvania, 
desertion and cruel treatment can easily be es¬ 
tablished. ’ ’ 

“We can talk that all over when you come. 
Now remember your promise not to mention 


208 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


anything about my being there and never to 
give my address/ , 

“I will, Grace. I appreciate your position.” 

“Good-bye, Arthur.” 

‘ ‘ Good-bye, Grace. Be sure to write to me 
soon.” 

As the train sped along, the necessity for 
consideration of at least a temporary location 
became obvious. At Trenton she bought a 
Philadelphia afternoon paper. She knew the 
town well enough to know that nothing subur¬ 
ban would answer her purposes at all, owing 
to the time necessarily wasted in transportation 
to the centers of general business activity. She 
decided that a boarding house of good char¬ 
acter and in the neighborhood of Broad and 
Spruce would be desirable. It was within easy 
walking distance of everything and, at the same 
time, would probably be respectable and more 
or less inexpensive. 

She found several advertisements of what she 
wanted, and selecting two, discovered, on arriv¬ 
ing at the first, exactly what she desired. A 
rather elderly widow with the kindest of smiles, 
whose husband had been an Englishman, was 
the owner and manager of the house. She was 
delighted with Grace and offered her one of the 
best rooms at a most reasonable rate, saying 
she could afford to make a reduction for the 
pleasant promise of being able to talk over Lon¬ 
don on occasions. This did not appeal to Grace 
at all, but in every other way the place was 
most satisfactory. 


XXVII 


From the day the Aquitania docked in New 
York, Clayton personally conducted a sight¬ 
seeing tour of the city for the Thurstons and 
their two newly-made friends, Desmond and 
Andrews. He piloted them from Grant’s Tomb 
to Chinatown, and each night they all dined to¬ 
gether, running the gamut of restaurants from 
the smart, exclusive places to the table d’hote 
resorts. 

Though he and Dariel were together every 
day, they really had no opportunities for per¬ 
sonal chats. Desmond was literally sticking 
closer than a brother and their first night on 
shore had prevailed on Dariel to try a dance 
with him. Since then their dancing was part 
of each night’s program. When one has once 
caught the tempo of the dance, it is impossible 
to keep from swaying with the crowd to the 
quasi-eastern music. The disturbing plaintive 
note of the saxophone is a call to arms. 

Clayton had put off from day to day seeing 
Gray on matters of business. He was the first 
person he ought to see, but on account of his 
private affairs the last one he desired to see. 
He hardly knew how to explain things. He 
could only say that Grace had given him to 
understand she could not give up Marsden, 
after all, and that he had left, but he dreaded 
the cross-examination by that judicial mind of 
Gray’s. He would not take up the threads of 

business in any event until after the Thurstons 

209 


210 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


had left. They were going now in two or three 
days to Washington as they wanted to see the 
Capitol before leaving the States. They would 
have to come back to New York en route to 
Canada, but they most likely would not stop 
over again. 

At first Clayton disliked the idea of opening 
up his house, but Wilson was so capable and 
reliable that he decided to do so. Wilson at¬ 
tended to all the details. Clayton told him to 
get what assistance he needed to run the place 
and had him rush things along, so as to have 
everything in readiness to give the Thurstons 
a farewell dinner in his home. 

Wilson seized this first opportunity to show 
what he could do in preparing for the dinner. 
His position, heretofore, had been a sinecure, 
which no first-class English servant enjoys. 
When Clayton looked in the dining-room be¬ 
fore the guests arrived, he was unstinting in 
his praise of Wilson’s preparations. 

“I hoped you would be pleased, Sir,” said 
Wilson. 

“I am delighted,” replied Clayton, “I had 
no idea you were more than a good valet.” 

“I began as a butler, Sir, but I prefer travel¬ 
ing. ’ ’ 

The Thurstons and their two friends arrived 
and, in a few moments, were seated around the 
table. 

“How lovely!” exclaimed Dariel. “You don’t 
seem in any immediate need of a hostess to 
arrange your dining table; or have you one con¬ 
cealed somewhere on the premises?” 

“No,” replied Clayton, “I’ve been trying to 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


211 


get one but my references do not seem to suit 
the applicants. ’ 9 

“Ha, Ha,” laughed Andrews. “That’s jolly 
good, what?” 

“You don’t seem to be having things so 
smooth over here, after all,” said Desmond, 
turning to Clayton. “I was jolly glad to get 
out of England with the labor troubles and the 
Government messing up things and expected 
everything would be peaceful here, but your 
papers are reeking with coal strikes, railroad 
strikes, battles with machine guns between labor 
and capital and all that, really much worse than 
it is in England.” 

“It is all politics over here and the fear by 
the office holders of losing the labor vote,” 
asserted Clayton. “If I were managing the 
matter, I should leave such differences as those 
of garment makers, textile workers, et cetera, to 
settle themselves as they pleased; but not utili¬ 
ties, coal, railroads and similar things. Both 
sides are working to force the Government to 
take them over at a preposterous valuation and 
to pay unthinkable wages. A good plan would 
be to make each side appoint a committee of, 
say, five and to lock the ten up on a slender 
diet, without luxuries, until they had agreed in 
writing on a basis to last at least two years 
and containing a proviso that the cost to the 
public was not to be increased, and then enforce 
that agreement with all the power of the Gov¬ 
ernment. “One word describes the employers 
—with a few notable exceptions. They are 
hogs. The employees are led by men who are 
drunk, not with wine but with power, the power 
of numbers of followers. Like the Kaiser, who 


212 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


thought to overrun civilization with numbers, 
they expect to trample on public opinion by the 
terror that a vast following, ready for any 
method that will achieve their ends, will strike. 
It can’t be done. They would do well to con¬ 
sider the position of the Kaiser and his follow¬ 
ing today. On the other hand, the employing 
class could, with advantage, count up the cost 
of ‘canning the Kaiser.’ In such a struggle, 
capital would probably win, but be exhausted 
and left without the resources to resume pro¬ 
duction. Then the deluge could be expected.” 

“Well said, Clayton,” cried Thurston and 
turning to the other men who had been listen¬ 
ing attentively, added, “Our host is a utility 
man himself and knows both sides of that ques¬ 
tion well. I have enjoyed his ideas on the 
subject before.” 

“Let’s stick to the service, Desmond,” said 
Andrews. “I’m sure we would both come a 
cropper the moment we chucked it, what!” 

“I’m not so sure,” answered Desmond, “but 
this is boring the ladies.” 

“Not at all,” said Mrs. Thurston. “In this 
age of enlightenment, we women are as much 
interested in these things as the men.” 

“Are you one of those Hew notable excep¬ 
tions’ you just referred to as among the em¬ 
ploying class!” asked Dariel of Clayton. 

“No, I am sorry to say. I am only a stock¬ 
holder and have no direct contact with the 
employees,” he replied. “I am not even an 
officer of the corporation.” 

“And too timid to suggest to your associates 
your well thought out remedies!” asked she. 

“That, Miss Dariel, is a well-deserved re- 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


213 


buke. I do seem to have sadly lacked the cour¬ 
age of my convictions lately and it is the duty 
of a true friend to call it to my attention. 
Gentlemen, I ask you to join me in a rising toast 
to the girl who has had the courage to show 
her friendship for an undeserving man, by a 
second time setting his sins in order before 
him . 91 

The men responded immediately, but Mrs. 
Thurston looked annoyed and disturbed. 

4 4 Mr. Clay ton ,’ 9 she said, when the men had 
resumed their seats, 4 4 my daughter must be 
most annoying with her unasked advice. Her 
remark a moment ago was unnecessary and I 
feel that I should apologize for her attack on 
your business affairs. Your saying that it is 
her second offense, grieves me very much. 
Friends are not made or kept by criticism be¬ 
fore others. I hope you will accept my apology 
for her.” 

4 4 My dear Mrs. Thurston, your daughter 
needs no apologist. I had forgotten the pres¬ 
ence of any one when I mentioned its being the 
second time she had favored me. I may say 
that on the previous occasion no one else was 
present and the advice she gave me was per¬ 
haps the best I have ever had in my life. I 
cannot recall any friend who has been of greater 
benefit to me . 9 9 

44 Oh, I say,” broke in Andrews, 44 let’s drink 
to the benefit, what?” 

A general laugh cleared the air. 

44 Clayton,” asked Desmond, 44 what chance 
has a chap with a few thousand pounds to go 
in business in New York? I see little in the 
service to show for the time spent in it.” 


214 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“ What business do you know?” replied Clay¬ 
ton. 

‘‘None. I’ve inherited just enough to make 
me want to do something with it, and as I am 
not lazy or exactly stupid, I am willing to attack 
anything. ’ ’ 

“How much have you got?” asked Andrews. 

“Well, of all questions,” gasped Dariel. 

“Oh, I don’t mind saying. It’s a matter of, 
perhaps, forty thousand pounds in all. Most of 
it is immediately available, easily twenty-five 
thousand pounds. ’ ’ 

“Desmond, that is enough money to keep 
you in ease and luxury during a long life, using 
the interest on it alone. By omitting luxury, 
you might replace it with a wife. There are 
about five hundred thousand men in New York 
who could suggest how you could double that 
in six months in four hundred and ninety thou¬ 
sand different schemes, each of which they knew 
was an assured success. 

“There are, perhaps, two hundred high-class 
stock brokers’ offices which would receive you 
with open arms and assign to you a special clerk 
whose duty would consist in supplying you with 
absolutely sure tips on the market, ‘ obtained 
direct from the private secretary of the heavi¬ 
est operator on the street.’ You would find 
him a charming and interesting companion 
while your money lasted. It would take me too 
long to describe how all the doors would be 
opened to you. But my advice to you is to pass 
them all up, keep your money invested at a 
reasonable and safe rate of interest and if you 
must go into business take a position in some 
concern to your liking and learn that business 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


215 


from the ground up before you venture into it.” 

4 ‘But you didn’t do that, did you?” asked 
Dariel. 

“My father had a small iron mill. When I 
was seventeen it was conveyed to me that if I, 
as his only child, wanted to succeed to his busi¬ 
ness, it was time for me to learn the trade. 
It was a hitter pill when all my friends were 
chasing around town with the girls, hut I am 
proud to say I swallowed it and for four years 
worked among the men in dirt and overalls. 
Then my father died unexpectedly, hut I had 
mastered the business and it was mine. The 
habits of economy and thrift learned among 
those workmen of small resources and large 
families were an additional capital. After I 
had multiplied the annual output many times 
I sold out and with the acquaintance and con¬ 
nections I had made, went on. At this moment, 
however, if an evil turn of the wheel should 
clean me out, I could go back to any plant and 
be a valuable and well-paid workman. Jobs 
would hunt a man who can do anything in a 
mill. 

“You see, Desmond, you can’t compete in 
that class until you get behind you the years of 
education it is too late for you to acquire. You 
could doubtless make a living in many positions, 
but to be master of any business, it is safe to 
say, in these days of high standards, that you 
must be born to it and made to fit it afterward 
as well.” Turning to Dariel, Clayton added, 
“Perhaps I have forfeited your interest in me 
by this explanation. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ On the contrary, you have increased it; but, 
I shudder to think what it must require to hold 


216 HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 

the undivided attention of such a many-sided 
man. ’ ’ 

‘‘Many sides but few attractions. I am 
afraid I am only amusing when talking about 
myself. I hope you are all going to like ‘The 
Bat,’ ” Clayton added, changing the subject, “it 
is a baffling mystery play. ’ ’ 

“Oh, how lovely!” Dariel cried, “I adore 
mystery.’ ’ 

Until they left for the theatre the conversa¬ 
tion was given over to mysticism. 

A week later the Thurston party returned 
from Washington. Clayton met them at the 
train. There was only time for luncheon as 
they were going right through to Canada on 
the three-thirty train that afternoon. Clayton 
took them all to Thurston’s bank and then to the 
Ritz. 

After the order had been given and they sat 
discussing the sights of Washington, Thurston 
asked permission to read his mail. He read 
the last letter he opened, twice, then handed it 
to Clayton saying, “Read it aloud.” 

Clayton read: 

“You will be surprised to know that Archi¬ 
bald Marsden drove his car over the cliffs not 
far from Dover and was instantly killed. The 
papers called it an accident but the beggar owed 
everybody and most of us think he took the 
short cut to get out of debt . 9 9 

As he concluded, he looked over at Dariel. 
Her eyes were full of tears, 

“Poor Grace,” she said, in a brave effort 


(Ir^vn 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


217 


at composure, “regardless of what Marsden 
was, this will be a serious blow to her.” 

“Most serious,” repeated Clayton, “I never 
knew such devotion to such an unworthy ob¬ 
ject.” 

“Dariel,” said Mrs. Thurston, “you must 
write Grace at once giving her our deepest sym¬ 
pathy and telling her that as soon as we are 
settled in Canada she must come over to visit 
us.” 

“That she must,” added Thurston, “if I have 
to go over after her.” 

In spite of the fact that no one cared for 
Marsden, the news of his death kept their 
luncheon from being a jolly affair and all 
seemed relieved when it was over and time to 
start for the Grand Central Depot. 

It was a very sombre party standing on the 
station platform, waiting to say the final good¬ 
bye. Just before Dariel got on the train, she 
gave her hand to Clayton saying, “I don’t be¬ 
lieve you will be coming to Canada for your 
holiday after all but I hope—” her voice broke 
and she turned her head away. 

“Perhaps, not,” he said tenderly. “Fate 
seems to have taken a hand in the adjusting of 
our lives, but even if I don’t, I shall never live 
to forget the most wonderful little character I 
ever knew. ’ ’ 

“All aboard,” the porter cried, and those de¬ 
parting left their friends and loved ones, wait¬ 
ing to catch another glimpse of them from the 
windows, for a thrown kiss or the wave of the 
hand—the last tokens of farewell. Dariel and 
Desmond stood on the rear platform and waved 
their adieus to Andrews and Clayton. 


218 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


‘ 4 They make a fine couple, eh, what?” said 
Andrews. 4 ‘Desmond is clean off his head 
about the girl and he has the perseverance of 
the devil. I shouldn’t wonder if she would not 
have to marry him one of these days in order to 
get rid of him, eh, what?” 

Clayton put his hat on thoughtfully. There 
was no use to wave it again, the train was lost 
to sight. 


XXVIII 


As soon as Clayton parted from Andrews, he 
sent a long cable to Grace, addressed to her 
home. He was notified the next morning that 
it had not been delivered. He then cabled her 
bankers for her address, prepaying an answer. 
Their reply was that she was not in the country 
and that they had been instructed not to give 
her address, but that they would forward any 
communications. 

For a moment Clayton was filled with delight. 
Undoubtedly she was on her way to America, 
coming to him. Then he began to wonder why 
she should have taken such precaution to keep 
her address unknown. He rushed down to 
Gray’s office and demanded to see him at once. 

“Well,” said Gray, “I think it is about time 
you came to see me unless you have engaged 
another attorney. Do you realize all that has 
been going on in your Company since you have 
been here or are you still taking a vacation from 
business?” 

“Hang business and the company can take 
care of itself for the present. What I want to 
know is, what has become of Grace! Where 
did she go after Marsden’s death?” 

‘ ‘ How did you hear of his death ? ’ ’ 

“Through friends,” Clayton replied curtly. 
“Tell me where she is or whether she has ar¬ 
rived in America yet?” 

“She is in America.” 

< ‘ Where ? ’ ’ Clayton cried. 

219 


220 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


“I only heard from her myself the other 
'day,’’ Gray went on, unheeding Clayton’s ques¬ 
tion. “It seems she started for America be¬ 
fore Marsden’s death.” 

“Started for America before Marsden’s 
death, ’ ’ repeated Clayton increduously. 

“And only heard of it after her arrival,” 
Gray continued. “She wanted me to book her 
passage and help her to get immediately back to 
England. With some difficulty I showed her the 
folly of that; pointed out that by the time she 
arrived he would have been buried and that 
there was nothing for her to return to. I prom¬ 
ised to look after everything for her so she has 
remained.” 

‘ 4 Where ? ’ ’ 

“I am not at liberty to state.” 

“Gray,” said Clayton, slowly rising and com¬ 
ing to him, “will you give me her address 
peaceably or shall I choke it out of you?” 

“Clayton, she asked me not to give it to you 
and I will not do it without her consent. She 
did not explain why she wished me to keep it 
a secret, but I assume she feels that in leaving 
her there with Marsden, after at least all you 
said to me about your inability to do so, you 
did not desire to see her again and she in turn 
would not permit you to think she was placing 
herself in your way. Now go ahead and choke 
if you think it proper.” 

“You are right so far as what she thinks is 
concerned, but I must have her address now.” 

“Keep cool, old chap, and be fair. What do 
you want to say to her?” 

“I want to tell her that I forgive her for pre¬ 
ferring Marsden to me while he lived, but that 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


221 


now that he is dead, I want her to marry me at 
once and not wait one single day for any reason 
in the world.” 

“Well said, Clayton. I promised not to give 
you her address, but, if when I go out of this 
room for a moment, you should see a memo¬ 
randum of it lying on my desk and pocket it, 
that is not my affair. ” 

He scribbled on a pad and left the room. 
Clayton read, “Grace Marsden, 1347 Spruce 
Street, Philadelphia.” 

When Gray returned, Clayton held out his 
hand saying, “Gray, I’ll drop in to see you in 
a day or two and we will go over those Com¬ 
pany details.” 

The twelve o ’clock train landed him at Broad 
Street Station at two, and at precisely two-ten 
P. M. his taxicab stopped at the Spruce Street 
house. 

“Mrs. Marsden will not be in until 4.30,” the 
maid said. “Will you call later?” 

“Tell her Mr. Gray called and will return at 
five. ’ ’ 

Clayton decided to employ the interval by 
driving through the Park and studying out what 
he could expect her to say and what he would 
say in reply. Never did the hours seem so 
slow, but they finally passed, and the maid 
ushered him into the old-fashioned parlor. The 
room was so dark coming in from the street, 
that he almost stumbled to a seat near the door. 

In a moment he could hear some one coming 
downstairs and Grace entered with “Oh, Ar¬ 
thur, so good of you to come to me in my 
trouble;” and then stood still in amazement. 

Clayton arose at her approach, and stood 


222 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


with his back to what little light came in from 
the bowed front shutters, and as she neared 
him, caught her quickly in his arms saying, 
“ There is no trouble, sweetheart. All your 
troubles are over. ” 

His voice and his touch were too much for 
Grace. She collapsed in his arms but only for 
a moment, then she opened her eyes and looked 
up into his face, saying, “Edward, can I ever 
make you understand, can I ever make you 
know, what pity will induce one to do? Poor 
Mars stole that coat—took it back and got the 
money for it. I never knew where it was until 
you had gone. I supposed he had pawned it. 
I couldn’t bear to have you think him so low 
and I lied to you before I realized what I was 
saying. Forgive me, dear, I suppose you can 
never forget such a dreadful thing, but please 
don’t punish me in any way that will prevent 
my being near you and seeing your dear face 
once in a while.” 

Clayton held her to him while she made her 
confession in breathless anxiety. His happi¬ 
ness was made conplete by her explanation. 

When she had finished, he said, “But you 
told Gray not to give me your address. ’ ’ 

“That is true, dear; how did you find me?” 

“Did you suppose anything could keep me 
from you when I heard you were free?” 

‘ ‘ I never expected to see you again. I thought 
you had lost faith in me. ’ ’ 

“Then why, Grace, did you take the precau¬ 
tion to forbid Gray to give me your address?” 

“Fearing you might think it necessary to 
look after me. I could not stand that.” 

“It is necessary, nevertheless. I shall stay 


HIS MORTGAGED WIFE 


223 


over here tonight, get a license in the morning 
and marry yon as soon as I do, so we can return 
to New York as man and wife in the sight of 
man as well as God. Marsden was a black¬ 
guard, but he has closed his account satisfac¬ 
torily and you belong to me.” 

‘ ‘ I do, Edward; but, oh, oh! are you sure you 
wish to foreclose your mortgage V 9 

4 4 Yes, beloved, the interest has been piling 
up and only in marriage can it be satisfied— 
until death us do part. ’’ 


THE END 












































































































N 













































-i 






























































1 J 








































































































